Ready to Rumble
by kdinthecity
Summary: It's time for the fourth season of the Pro-bending Circuit, and the earthbender for the Captial City Catgators has stepped into the ring! Let's get ready to rumble… or ramble as the case may be. A series of one shots for an AtLA/LoK writing competition.
1. Sightseeing in Ba Sing Se

**A/N:** Pro-Bending Circuit Round One: Feels Like the First Time

 _Position/Team:_ Earthbender, Capital City Catgators  
 _Prompts Used:_ yellow, Ba Sing Se, "One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind"  
 _Bonus:_ earthbending  
 _Word Count:_ 2,658

* * *

 **Sightseeing in Ba Sing Se**

Everything about the train ride heightened her senses. The warmth of the sun beating through the windows told her that it was midday already. The smell of sweat and tobacco told her that they weren't alone in the first class cabin seating. The shift in the vibrations she felt told her they'd entered the middle ring of the city. She couldn't see because she was blind, but she didn't need that to sense what she already knew—she hated this place.

"Oh, it's been ages since I've been to Ba Sing Se!" a sickeningly sweet voice sang beside her.

Toph sniffed at the smell of ginger tea on her mother's breath. It reminded her of Iroh and the Jasmine Dragon. Maybe there was _one_ good thing about the Earth Kingdom Capital. But if she knew her mother, their time would be scheduled down to the last minute, and she doubted visits to a former-war-general-turned-friend was on the agenda despite his royalty status.

Poppy Beifong _did_ care about status, though. They planned to meet with an elite professional who was working on a cutting edge venture. Toph only assumed this was to benefit her father's business interests after his _shaky_ dealings at the earthen fire refinery. She'd somewhat made amends with him recently and had agreed to go on this trip with her mother at his request.

Another shift in the frequency of vibrations, and the train neared their destination in the upper ring. Toph tugged at the collar of her dress as a trickle of sweat rolled down the back of her neck. A sense of foreboding settled in her stomach. Everything about the train ride made her want to go back to where she came from now that she was finally here.

* * *

"You're not from the Earth Kingdom," Toph said to the man after shaking his hand. Fire ran through his blood, and she could feel it.

"You're very intuitive, young lady," he replied. "Of course, I would expect no less. I am Dr. Yuu. Pleased to meet you."

Toph then perceived a concentration of power near the man's forehead. While everything about their encounter thus far was very normal, she'd learned enough about chi flow from Ty Lee to recognize who— _what_ he was. She gasped. "You're one of those..." The only words that sprang to mind were _Sparky Sparky Boom Man_.

"Well, some call it combustion bending. Which sounds really destructive if you ask me. I've learned to channel my ability—fine tune it, if you will. And use it for a more constructive purpose," the doctor explained.

"That's interesting." Toph felt her pulse resume a more steady pace.

"Well, as you know, I'm a doctor. And I've found that human tissue responds to a certain intensity of heat and light in a way that allows me to break down, remove, repair, reshape, reconstruct, you know, that sort of thing."

Toph had to admit that she really didn't know what _that sort of thing_ was. Apparently her mother did, though.

"Oh, Dr. Yuu, that's amazing! And you really think you can cure blindness?" Poppy clapped her hands together in delight.

Toph's heart pounded in her chest, all efforts of remaining calm thwarted. "What!?" It sounded like they were suggesting that this man shoot fire from his forehead and aim it directly and precisely at her eyeballs. Upon further explanation of the procedure, this was exactly what they proposed to do, more or less.

"No fucking way," Toph protested. "You have got to be kidding me."

"But Toph, dear. Don't you want the chance to be able to see?" Poppy reached out toward her daughter, but Toph recoiled.

"I can _see_ just fine… through my bending," she retorted. She couldn't help but wonder what would happen to her bending if eyesight became a factor—perhaps even an obstacle, who knew? Toph's breath began to quicken as she considered the implications.

"I thought you might say that," Dr. Yuu said with a frown. "There's nothing to worry about. You're perfectly safe with me. Here, have a seat. Relax. Let's have some tea, and then we can talk about it some more."

Toph would agree to tea, but she wasn't so sure about the talking. And she was adamantly against the procedure. Once upon a time she might have wished away her blindness so her parents would treat her like a normal kid. But she suspected that wouldn't happen regardless, so it was decidedly better for her to be herself—blind, bold, and _the best_. Her thoughts became fuzzy as she sipped her tea, and the voices around her faded in and out until she realized through the haze that they had drugged her.

* * *

She awoke sometime later to a scratchy sensation on her face, darkness surrounding her, a hard surface underneath her, and a warm hand holding hers. She groaned.

"Toph? Sweetie?"

Toph decided she'd rather go back to sleep than talk to her mother. She felt betrayed. Alone. Scared. And even with the prospect of sight, everything was so, so dark.

The next time she woke up, everything was _blindingly_ bright.

"Good morning, sunshine," the doctor said.

Toph opened her eyes but shut them quickly. She then took inventory of everything else she could sense about her surroundings. Same cold hard surface that could hardly count as a bed. Her mother had left. It was indeed morning because she felt the warmth of the sun. She could always detect brightness, but this was different. She opened her eyes again.

It was an onslaught of sensory overload. She couldn't even describe what she was seeing. She couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that it was just that— _seeing_.

"You're probably feeling overwhelmed right now, and that's completely normal," the doctor advised. "So, just take it slow."

"You tricked me," Toph said through gritted teeth. She hadn't caught a glimpse of the man, yet. His voice came from the other side of the room.

"True, but I thought once you _saw_ results, you'd forgive me."

"You can't just do that without a person's permission!"

"Toph, I know you've traveled the world, and you're a powerful bender, but you're still a minor. I had your mother's permission."

She folded her arms across her chest and squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't want to cry, but the tears came anyway. And they stung.

"Tears are good." The doctor moved in closer now. "They'll help with the healing process."

Toph then looked up at him, her vision blurred with emotion. For the first time ever, she saw a person. She had touched hair and noses and even lips before, but seeing them come together as parts of a whole—it was enough to take her breath away. Now, she wanted to see someone she really cared about—and not her mother, either.

* * *

Her wish was granted sometime later when Aang and Katara came to visit. Poppy had arranged for accommodations in an upper ring villa. Dr. Yuu wanted to conduct regular checkups for several weeks, and he instructed for Toph to take her time and take it easy. She would have to relearn a lot about the world with her newfound sight. Toph suspected that she kept her eyes closed more often than open, but she was truly fascinated by what she did see when she allowed herself some _insight_.

"What is that ridiculous thing on your head, Aang?" She reached out to rub her bald friend's arrow.

"Oh, um, it's a tattoo. I got it when I mastered airbending," Aang answered with a shrug and a grin.

Gestures and facial expressions became a new point of interest for Toph. Especially when people said one thing but meant another. She knew she could sense things through her bending, but she was also intrigued by the visual cues that people gave as well.

"I still think it looks stupid." Toph then redirected her attention to Katara. "But it looks the same as her eyes."

"Huh?" Aang quirked a brow in confusion.

"Oh, I think she means they're both blue?" Katara mused.

"What's blue?" Toph asked. She'd heard the word before but could only guess as to its meaning.

"It's a color," Katara answered. "Blue like the sky… or the ocean… or my dress…"

"Ohhhhhh!" Toph then decided colors were also a new topic she wanted to explore. "Tell me more!"

"Well, Aang's clothes are yellow and orange," Katara continued.

"Yellow," Toph repeated. "Like the sun… and Dr. Yuu's eyes… are Zuko's eyes yellow, too?"

"Well, they're more like gold, I'd say," Katara replied. "But yellow works, yeah."

"Is Dr. Yuu Fire Nation?" Aang asked.

"Yeah. A combustion bender." Toph shuddered at the admission. It still didn't settle well what he had done to her against her will.

"Have you tried earthbending since your surgery, Toph?" Katara's knitted brow spoke of her concern for her friend.

"Not yet. I'm supposed to be resting. But soon. Very soon." Toph couldn't help but be worried, too.

* * *

Bending did not go well at all. With her eyes open, she struggled with balance and depth perception. She could summon her element just fine, she just couldn't command it. Even with her eyes closed, everything seemed different than before. She had _seen_ too much to not want to rely on sight, yet she faltered in her innate ability to simply _feel._ This was exactly why she didn't want to do this in the first place.

Toph stormed into Dr. Yuu's office. "You will reverse the surgery! Make me blind again!"

"What!?" The combustion man stared back at her with not just two eyes, but three.

"I am the greatest earthbender in the world, and you took that away from me!"

"Oh, Toph, don't you see? This is so much bigger than you? You are my greatest success. There are so many possibilities."

"I don't care. I was _my_ greatest success until you came along!"

"Toph, I know it's hard, but it's a step in the right direction. It's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind!"

"Well, go find another _man_ to do your stepping and leaping. And fix me back to the way I was!"

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that. It doesn't work that way."

Toph let out a noise of pained frustration before overturning the doctor's desk, bending his filing cabinet into a crumpled mass of scrap metal, and slamming the door behind her as she fled.

She could think of only one place to go, and surprisingly she hadn't been since coming back to Ba Sing Se. Uncle Iroh would have the answer. He always did.

* * *

Even though he was the shop owner, Iroh sat down at a table with Toph and gave her his undivided attention. She made a few offhand comments about the funny style of his beard and how his eyes weren't really yellow like the sun as she expected them to be, but then she got down to the truth of the matter. He wondered why she surveyed her tea suspiciously before taking a sip, but then that part of the story came out, too.

Iroh stroked his beard thoughtfully. "You know, sometimes those who love us think they know what is best for us. They really just want to help us, but they might not know how."

Toph nodded and studied the old man's features intently while he talked.

"But listening to each other is sometimes the best thing even though we might not think it is enough. Some might say that sight is the most important sense, but just because one can see, does not mean he has the right vision." Iroh smiled, and Toph found it comforting. He then continued, "No, I think hearing is the most important. Because when I hear what you have to say, then I can learn who you truly are. We can't always trust what we see before us, but we can always dispel the lies by setting things straight with our words."

Toph sighed. "So, what you're saying is that I need to talk to—reconcile with my mom."

"Perhaps. It sounds like you have already started that healing process with your father. But you may recall that words are powerful. They can be both constructive or destructive, so choose them wisely."

Constructive and destructive were words the doctor used to describe his bending ability. They could be used to describe any element, really. Maybe she could apply them to her eyesight, too. She loved how she could now construct meaning from faces—how eyes glisten with emotion, how noses twitch with discomfort, how mouths turn with decisions, and how cheeks color with anxiety. She had considered it destructive to her bending ability, but maybe it was more like a part of a whole, a piece to a puzzle. She just had to figure out how to make it fit.

"Toph? My dear?" Iroh's voice pierced through her thoughts.

"Oh, right. Sorry. I was just, uhh—"

He nodded knowingly and refilled her tea cup.

"These things take time," he said after a few minutes of companionable silence.

Toph wasn't sure if he was referring to an impending conversation with her mother or her adjusting to not being blind anymore.

* * *

Poppy Beifong had decided to leave Toph alone for the time being, hoping that she would come around once she came to cherish her new sense of sight. Much like the doctor, she expected automatic forgiveness in light of the great gift bestowed to her daughter. She did carry some guilt about the way things had happened, but Toph had always been stubborn. They hardly talked at all these days, but it wasn't much different. They were together, at least.

Poppy did not expect to be woken by Toph screaming for her one morning. She'd never heard her daughter call for her like that. It wasn't just unnerving—it was terrifying. She ran to Toph's bedside to find the girl frantically clawing at her eyes.

"Mom, Mom, I can't see! I can't see!" Toph shrieked.

"What!?" Poppy firmly gripped her daughter's shoulders and peered into familiar milky white irises. "What did you _do_?"

"What did _I_ do? Nothing! I just woke up this way!"

"I'll go get the doctor."

"No! He'll just make it worse. It won't—it doesn't work." Toph collapsed back on her bed into a fit of chokes and sobs. Nothing made sense. As in, she couldn't make sense of any of her senses. The bed felt red—no, warm? The morning sun was hard—no, bright? Her mother's caress on her cheek was salty—no, that was the taste of her own tears.

Toph didn't want to face the doctor, but she did anyway. Her mother promised there would be no more experimental procedures. Dr. Yuu apologized for his failure and suspected that whatever chronic disease that had caused her blindness in the first place was the culprit in its resurgence. He didn't think ongoing combustion treatments would be a good idea but offered to do some more research on her condition. Toph then understood she would be the subject of said research, so she forcefully declined. In an effort to atone, the doctor offered to remove the calluses from her feet to which Toph replied, "Hell no." She said her hasty goodbyes and booked herself a ticket on the next train out of the city.

Everything about the train ride muddled her senses. The warmth of the sun told her it was midday already, but she had no idea what she would do when she got to where she was going. This time she was alone in the first class cabin seating, yet she missed the smell of ginger tea that always lingered on her mother's breath. And as the train's vibrations shifted, she knew she was leaving the city she hated, but it was the first place she had ever _seen_.

* * *

 **A/N:** I briefly reference events from the comic book trilogy, _The Rift_ , where Toph reunites with her father, Lao Beifong. Also, the name _Yuu_ means "higher, superior" in Japanese, and I chose it because I wanted to show how a combustion bender could choose a higher path for his/her abilities than just war and destruction. I suppose a modern-day parallel to the medical procedure would be LASIK surgery, although I realize a combustion bender isn't exactly shooting lasers per se. So... this is fiction, right? And we can suspend reality, rrrrrrright? But for me, it is more about redeeming the bending arts. In another one of my fics, I have Jeong Jeong using lightening bending to apply electrotherapy in a medical setting. Again, it's probably a stretch, but don't you remember how he envied the waterbenders' healing ability and thought firebending could only be used for destruction? So, I'm not out to make any medical claims here. I just think the Avatar series has beautiful redemptive themes, and that's what spoke to me, I guess. As far as what this fic, _Sightseeing in Ba Sing Se_ , means for Toph, I think it continues to set the scene for her reconciliation with her past and her parents which may or may not mean that she actually reconciles with _them_. It may simply mean that she reconciles with _herself_ on a few things. And perhaps having the gift of sight for a few weeks proves insightful.


	2. Steambuilding

**A/N:** I can't remember if this fight scene inspired the meme or if the meme inspired the fight scene, but look me up on tumblr, "kdinthecity" if you want to see the corresponding image. I think the graphic came first, because I put their elements on the opposite sides for visual balance, and then I thought, hmm, that would make for some interesting literary imagery as well. Anyway, I'm submitting this for the Pro-Bending Circuit competition, Toza's Gym: Sparring Circle. It's Zuko and Katara, obviously, and Zutara pairing _obviously_... and probably either when they are engaged or newly married.

* * *

"This is one of those things I have to do alone." Zuko knew this conversation would go _swimmingly_ well.

"But I can help you!" Katara protested with heat rising to her face.

"No! You can't!"

"What!?" Katara put her hands on her hips and glared— _flared_ —at him.

Zuko felt a huge wave of frustration. "I mean, I know you _can_. I won't let you."

" _What_!?" Her eyes narrowed, ready to burst with her anger.

"I'm sorry! I think—it's too dangerous."

"I don't care what you _think,_ Zuko. I'm going with you!"

"Katara, _please_." He placed his hands on her shoulders as if trying to stay afloat. "Don't do this. I can handle it. Just stay here. I'll be back soon."

She held her scolding— _scalding_ —posture. "But what if someone gets hurt? What if you need a healer? What if _you_ get hurt…"

"Katara, I can't…" He leaned in for her to buoy him. He was so tired of fighting—yet, he couldn't surrender, not in this.

She pushed him away—the fight within her now raging like wildfire. "You can't just leave me behind! Is this how it's going to be? You going off to do Fire Lord business with me stuck at home?" Her admission of the Fire Nation as _home_ burned a little.

Zuko folded his arms against his chest. They weren't getting anywhere like this. They were just treading water. "This hardly constitutes as business. This... is just crazy. It's too much of a risk."

"Which is why you need my help!"

"No! I need you to—"

"You need me to _what_ , Zuko?"

"I…NEED YOU, OK?"

At this confession, her flames were doused. "I'm here. I'm right here."

"No, I mean, I can't lose you." The look he gave her nearly took her breath away—like he was _drowning_. "Katara, as much as I am afraid of fucking things up as Fire Lord, I am more afraid of losing you. I feel like you're the only thing keeping me centered right now, and without you... I can't… I won't make it… and I know it's unfair to expect you to—" He melted.

"OK, OK. I get it. I'll stay." Understanding finally flowed between them.

"Thank you." His words were muffled in her hair as he crashed into her warm embrace.

"But if you're not back after an hour, I'm coming for you!"

"I'll be back. I promise."

Katara went rigid—like ice—before pulling away from him. Her father had said the same thing when he left for war. She could almost hear those words echo across the vast sea where she stood at the water's edge so many times just waiting for him.

"No." She took a few steps back. "No! You don't get to say that! That's… an empty promise. You're not the only one afraid of losing people, Zuko!"

The depth of defeat returned to his eyes. "I gotta go, Katara. I'm sorry."

She couldn't watch him leave. She felt like there was an ocean between them already. She couldn't just stay here like that— _stranded._

He left. She followed. It was uncertain who really won _this_ fight. But it was more important who would win the next.


	3. Spring Tide

**A/N:** Pro-Bending Circuit Round One: Feels Like the First Time

 _Position/Team:_ Waterbender, Capital City Catgators  
 _Prompts Used:_ Yue, grass  
 _Word Count:_ 931

* * *

Other little Water Tribe girls dreamed of being princesses. Of living in ice palaces and being swept off their feet by princes or valiant warriors. Yue was a princess and often wondered what princesses were supposed to dream about because it didn't seem like hers were the right sort of dreams.

She dreamed of adventure. She didn't want to stay cooped up in a palace all day. She wanted to see the world. And while princes and warriors were always the heroes in stories, she thought the builders and hunters were the real heroes—the ones who truly took care of her people, who gave them places to live and food to eat.

She cared about her people, and deep down she knew that dreaming about adventures wouldn't really help them. But sitting around as a stuffy figurehead wouldn't, either. She wanted to _do_ something, and this desire filled her to the point that she thought she might burst.

"Father, can I go on a hunt with the elders? I've never seen the forest," she asked the Chief one day.

"Oh no, my little moonflower," Arnook replied. "The forest is full of dangerous animals and rumored to be haunted by dark spirits. Besides, hunting is a man's job."

Another day, she tried again. "Father, I would like to go fishing. I have never seen the water's edge, and I would love to watch the tides roll in."

Arnook shook his head and smiled. "Oh no, my sweet turtleseal, the tides are at their peak this time of year. You could get lost at sea. Besides, fishing is a peasant's job."

Sometime later, "Father, will I ever get to leave the North Pole? I would love to see the spring flowers, smell the green grass, and touch the fine dirt. And meet _earthbenders_ … are there really people out there who can bend earth like we bend water and ice?"

"Princess Yue, I implore you to rid your head of these notions. You have everything you need right here in the North Pole. Water and ice are _pure_ and _healing_ elements. There is no need to muddy your mind with thoughts about other bendings. Besides, I am not a bender, and you are not, either. Now, there is someone I would like you to meet…"

After that, Yue stopped asking questions. And the adventure inside her died. She would still dream, though. She dreamed that someday, somehow she could leave this place.

She dreamed that she could fly.

* * *

Even though Hahn was arrogant and annoying, they had one thing in common. They both shared a passion for their people. Princess Yue figured this would one day lay a strong enough foundation for a successful marriage. Her father certainly thought so. She was older now, and she knew better than to chase girlish fantasies about falling in love anyway. Except that as a girl, she had only wanted to go hunting. Or fishing. Or at least catch a glimpse of the place where the sea met the sky.

She still thought about the other nations, too. She had learned more about the war and the firebenders by now. There was even another Water Tribe on the other side of the world. Her father's offhand comments still seemed to imply that the Earth Kingdom was a filthy place, but she had seen a map once. It was huge! Surely it wasn't all bad…

She wondered what people from other places were like. Were people just people or were they truly that different? Because the premise of war suggested that one nation thought itself superior… and that all nations couldn't live together in harmony like they once had… and that her nation must isolate itself from everyone else.

One day, the _outsiders_ came to them. And much to her surprise, her father welcomed the Southerners with open arms—along with this child they called _The Avatar._ These people had been all over the world. They told her stories about dark spirits that lived in forests, of flowers that grew atop volcanoes, and fish so big they could ride them out to sea. They had traveled all the way from the South Pole to the Fire Nation and through the Earth Kingdom—they even smelled like a combination of smoke, ash, dirt, and grass.

It was her first time meeting new people. It was her first encounter with the outside world. It was her first brush with adventure. And unexpectedly, her first time to fall in love. Followed by that first kiss. And he wasn't a prince, even though he claimed to be when she first met him. He wasn't really a valiant warrior, either, although he aspired to be that, too. No—he was a hunter… and a fisherman.

The tides were always the highest in the spring and especially high when the full moon was in perfect alignment with the sun and the earth. This was consequently called a _spring tide_ , and it was probably not a coincidence that on this night, the Fire Nation attacked the Northern Water Tribe.

Princess Yue had always had this desire to do something for her people. She knew someday she would rule at Hahn's side. But when it came to war, she had no clue what to do. While Hanh and even Sokka were out fighting, she held back—waiting. Ready to burst. Ready for adventure. Ready to see the world.

She was ready to fly.


	4. On Shaky Ground

**Pro-Bending Circuit Round Two: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde**  
 _Position/Team:_ Earthbender, Capital City Catgators  
 _Prompts Used:_ Somewhere I Belong (song)  
No use of the word "and" (restriction, excluding notes)  
"If we are completely honest with ourselves... (quote)  
 _Bonus:_ earthbending  
 _Word Count:_ 1,238

 **Notes:** If anyone writing fanfic does not know about Avatar Wiki, then go there RIGHT NOW because this resource is your BEST FRIEND. It is my life-blood—full episode transcripts, character names and profiles, Avatar world and culture descriptions, etc. When I chose The Boulder for this one-shot, I had forgotten that his character is not necessarily the stereotypical pro-wrestler type. He's eloquent and quippy, even though always referring to himself in the third person. And I guess it's kinda obvious from the name and certain antics, but I might not have otherwise made the connection to the real-life wrestler, The Rock.

This will be presented as two different celebrity interviews conducted with The Boulder, and I'm setting it up in a transcript format.

* * *

 _Setting: Reporter Tal King interviews The Boulder_ _ _just outside the arena_ after the Earth Rumble IV championships._

 **Reporter:** This is Tal King from the Gaoling Gazette reporting to you live at the Fourth Annual Earth Rumble Championships. I am here now with today's champion, The Boulder who has won his third straight title in a row.

 **The Boulder:** The Boulder thanks Tal for the opportunity. Or does Tal prefer Mr. King?

 **Reporter:** Well, how about The King?

 **The Boulder:** The Boulder likes the way The King thinks!

 **The King:** Well, you are now officially the best earthbender in the world. How do you feel?

 **The Boulder:** The Boulder feels nothing. Feelings are for the weak. The Boulder is immovable.

 **The King:** Some might say that after winning today, your career could reach a plateau. What would you say to that?

 **The Boulder:** The Boulder is at the top of the mountain. Those who are beneath him better watch what they say. Or they might just have to EAT HIS DIRT."

 **The King:** Well, right, but when you're at the top, the only way from there is down.

 **The Boulder:** The Boulder then just moves the mountain.

 **The King:** There's a new wrestler making a name for herself, the Blind Bandit. Have you heard of her?

 **The Boulder:** The problem with the bandit is that she has to _steal_ to get what she wants. The Boulder has earned his way to the championship.

 **The King:** What do you think will happen when you face The Blind Bandit?

 **The Boulder:** The Boulder will crumble the bandit. She will never see it coming!

 **The King:** Uhhh, rrrrrright. So, if you had one piece of advice for aspiring wrestlers, what would it be?

 **The Boulder:** The Boulder believes that success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency.*

 **The King:** That's all the time we have for today. There you have it, folks. Your three-time earthbending champion, the one, the only, The Boulder!

 **The Boulder:** Stay solid! Rock on!

* * *

 _Setting: Author Sansa Serif interviews The Boulder in his quiet, elegant estate on the outskirts of Gaoling._

 **Sansa Serif:** Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today, Mister, uhh, The Boulder, sir.

 **The Boulder:** You can call me by my real name. It's Bao. Bao Dung.

 **Sansa Serif:** Sure, Mr. Dung. I'm Sansa Serif. Nice to meet you.

 **The Boulder:** Just call me Bao. The pleasure is mine, Ms. Serif.

 **Sansa Serif:** You can call me Sansa. So, you have a lovely house. Have you lived here long?

 **The Boulder:** I used to live in town, but I found that I like living out here more. I feel closer to the earth out here. Like it's somewhere I belong.

 **Sansa:** But you're so far from other people. Do you prefer to be alone?

 **The Boulder** : It's simpler when it's just me. I can be…lost...in the nothingness, you know? When I'm alone, I have nothing to lose, nothing to gain…

 **Sansa:** But you weren't always this way. Tell me about your family. Your father was an earthbending champion, too?

 **The Boulder:** Yes, he called himself The Mountain.

 **Sansa:** Is that why you reference mountains so much in your interviews? Is he an inspiration to you?

 **The Boulder:** Hardly. He was an asshole. Always training. Always traveling. Left my mom alone to care for us kids. Left her with nothing.

 **Sansa:** So, you were close to your mother, then?

 **The Boulder:** No. Mom has… a dark side, too.

 **Sansa** : A dark side?

 **The Boulder** : Look, if we are completely honest with ourselves, everyone has a dark side to their personalities.

 **Sansa:** So, what is your dark side? The one you show in the arena? Or the one you're showing me now?

 **The Boulder:** When this began, I had nothing to say. I thought no one would want to read a story about the real me.

 **Sansa:** You're not the only person who thinks the way you do. People want to see something real. Maybe you could inspire someone—

 **The Boulder:** Inspire someone? With this… this nothingness? What do I have but negativity? I can't justify the way everyone is looking at me.

 **Sansa:** It's hard to be in the public eye all the time. People think celebrities have the perfect lives. You can dispel that myth.

 **The Boulder:** I still fail to see how that's inspirational.

 **Sansa:** Well, it's inspirational when you overcome the darkness. When you rise up from the nothingness. When your story becomes their story. When you stop becoming this untouchable, immovable force in the rumble arena. When they realize they can relate.

 **The Boulder:** So, you're saying that my story—the non-existent father, the psychotic mother, growing up so poor that we didn't even know where the next meal was coming from, having so much money now that I don't know what to do with it, yet I'm still as miserable as I was then—all of that can actually inspire someone?

 **Sansa:** It depends.

 **The Boulder:** It depends on what?

 **Sansa:** On what happens next in your story.

 **The Boulder:** You mean, right here, right now, don't you? Well, I told you—I feel nothing. I'm not real. I'm just stuck, hollow— _alone._

 **Sansa:** Surely you're not completely alone. Surely there is someone…

 **The Boulder:** No. Alone. The fault is my own.

 **Sansa:** Well, I'm probably not really the best person to talk to… about these sort of things. But I want you to know that you're not really alone. I'm here.

 **The Boulder:** I appreciate it. But this is something I have to do on my own.

 **Sansa:** But you're not listening! You don't have to be alone!

 **The Boulder:** I'm not talking about that! I'm talking about… feeling… healing… finding something real to hold on to… letting go of the pain I've felt so long.

 **Sansa:** I think… admitting that you want that is the first step. That is… something. Not nothing.

 **The Boulder:** When I agreed to this interview, this is not the way I had imagined it all in my mind.

 **Sansa:** You also said you had nothing to say. But I think you've said plenty. Perhaps you'll have more to say at a second interview?

 **The Boulder:** Holy ostrich-horse shit. What have I gotten myself into?

 **Sansa:** Nothing you can't handle, Mr. Bao "The Boulder" Dung.

 **The Boulder:** The name means "brave protector." I always thought it was too much to live up to, though. I chose "The Boulder" because it sounded so much simpler. People would just expect me to crush things. If no one had high expectations for me, then I didn't have to have high expectations for myself.

 **Sansa:** If you could do anything, what would it be? Would you want to live up to your name?

 **The Boulder:** Of course, who wouldn't? I think I would want to fight for something that truly matters. Like in the war. I've never really thought of myself as a soldier, but I've often daydreamed of ripping the Fire Lord's head off. I'd love to get him in the rumble arena someday.

 **Sansa:** That's not likely to happen. You'd have to march right up to the palace gates to get anywhere near Fire Lord Ozai.

 **The Boulder:** I know, I know. There's not much I could do to help in this war anyway. But I like the idea of helping people. Maybe someday...

* * *

*This is a nod to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. One of his quotes/memes inspired me to make one for The Boulder. I posted it on my tumblr page, "kdinthecity"


	5. Kai's Flight

**Pro-Bending Circuit Round Two: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde**  
 _Position/Team:_ Airbender, Capital City Catgators  
 _Prompts Used:_ Fresh fruit, pineapple, North Pole  
 _Word Count:_ 1,082

 **Notes:** I apparently decided to use non-conventional formatting this round, so maybe that's my Jekyll/Hyde thing as a writer, who knows? So, this is Kai before the Harmonic Convergence and his meet-up with the Krew. Wiki doesn't say how old he is, but Jinora was 11 around this time, so let's go with that. And that means that for my first time to write fanfiction in first person, I've chosen to try and channel an eleven-year-old boy. I'm not sure how two-faced I've presented him here, but more like struggling with identity and trying to be tough (with an occasional moment where he lets his guard down). Oh, and maybe the fact that he resists the journal idea at first but ends up doing it anyway. Here goes nothing...

* * *

My caseworker says I should keep a journal. He is watching me right now, so I guess I better write something down to look busy. He says it will help give me a sense of place and purpose. I don't even know what that means because I keep moving from place to place, and I don't understand the purpose of it all. He's going outside to take a smoke now, so I guess I can stop doing this. It's pointless just like everything else in my life.

* * *

My new foster mom said I should keep a journal. She says she does it, too. It helps her stay calm and focused. She says when she has big feelings, it helps to write them down. She thinks it will work for me, too. Well, I don't have big feelings. I don't have feelings at all. When you let yourself feel, then you just get hurt. I'm only writing this right now because she is watching me. She is nicer than the others, though. She smells like fresh fruit. She told me to call her Mia instead of Mom.

* * *

These people are dirt poor! Seriously, I have searched the house everywhere for money, jewelry, anything of value. I should have known when my caseworker dropped me off in the lower district. I've been here before. I guess it's nice to have a roof over my head this time, though. And food to eat. That was the worst. Going several days without eating. But then there was the gang. We always looked out for each other. I wonder if those guys are still around? Maybe I'll go see if I can find them.

* * *

I guess my foster family has money after all. They used it to bail me out of jail. The Dai Li are probably the only police force that arrests children. They don't seem to remember me from last time, so that's good. I bet Po and Chen were not so lucky. They're not in the system like I am, so nobody came to get them. I used to hate being passed around from house to house, but maybe it does beat being out on the streets? I don't know. It's also nice to be free. Mia keeps looking at me with these sad eyes. I feel bad.

* * *

Today Mia took me to the middle ring. She bought me some new clothes. We went to a tea shop. I don't like tea, but she got me my favorite, a plate of fresh fruit. I tried pineapple for the first time. It's kinda chewy, but I like the sweet and tangy flavor. I could tell something was bothering her, but she wouldn't say. It was a really nice day. I didn't say thank you, though. Maybe I will tomorrow.

* * *

NO, NO, NO! I DON'T WANT TO GO!

* * *

So my new family is crazy rich. Or maybe they just seem like it compared to the last one. My new mom smells like cinnamon and cigarette smoke. She always eats these things she calls energy bars and never serves fresh fruit. And she never seems to have much energy, either. So this is the end of the line. This family wants to adopt me. My caseworker says I'm lucky. This is the best deal I'm ever gonna get. I thought I was fine where I was, but I guess they didn't want me. None of the others wanted me, either, so it makes sense. It's only a matter of time before this family gets rid of me, too.

* * *

I wonder if my real parents didn't want me because I'm not a bender. I wish you could learn to be a bender instead of having to be born with it. I don't know if I would choose earthbending, though. They teach at my new school that I'm supposed to be proud of my Earth Kingdom heritage. How can I be proud if I don't even know where I came from?

* * *

If I could bend any element, I think it would be air. Can airbenders fly? Because I would fly as far away from here as I can. I looked at a map at school today. Maybe I would go to the Northern Air Temple. It looks like a cool place.

* * *

I ran away today. I stole some of my new parents' money and was able to make it all the way to Ba Sing Se. I went back to the lower district. I saw Mia, but she didn't know I was there. She still looks sad. Well, good. That's what she gets for getting rid of me. For making me think I was something special to her. I also bought a pineapple in the market. I had no idea it looked like that. How are you even supposed to eat it? It didn't matter because the Dai Li caught me and sent me back to my new home. Next time I run away, I'm going where no one can find me. I'm thinking the North Pole because it is even farther away.

* * *

I wonder if they have pineapple in the North Pole.

* * *

845\. I counted the words in my journal so far. Because I'm hiding out in my room pretending to be busy, so I don't have to face "Mom." Why do they always want you to call them that? Mia didn't, and I liked that. She wasn't trying to be something she's not. She was real. And I almost felt real when I lived there. But now I'm back to pretending again. It's easier to not be real. It's easier to not feel.

* * *

926\. I figured that out by adding the number of words from my last entry to 845. I still don't like school, but I like math. One of my foster parents taught me to read and write a long time ago, but I never really learned math. It's going to be very useful, I can tell. Especially when it comes to money. I've already created a budget for my trip to the North Pole. I even know where the family keeps all their savings.

* * *

Before I leave for the frigid wasteland to never be seen again, I wonder if I should write to Mia? She really was the nicest person. Whenever I smell fruit, I think of her.

* * *

NO, NO, NO! I DON'T WANT A SISTER!

* * *

So they adopted another kid. Seriously, you can't collect children like trinkets. Well, at least they have someone to replace me when I'm gone. Which is like now.


	6. Trade Deals

**Pro-Bending Circuit Round Three: The Missing Item**  
 _Position/Team:_ Earthbender, Capital City Catgators  
 _Prompts Used:_ lost, trunk (a tree counts, right?)  
"It's always in the last place you look," chocolate, sweat  
 _Word Count:_ 2,103

 **Notes:** This is rated M for "mild mature content." I had a fan request a while back to write a genderswap for Zutara. At the time it didn't fit in with the rest of my universe, but with the competition, I figured I could make it work at some point. So, in this fic, Katara is male and Zuko is female, and it's told from MaleKatara's point of view. I don't use names because I don't know what they would be (I've seen things like Katar and Zuka in other fics). So hopefully you can follow along. And yes, Sokka is female, MaleKatara's older sister. (My initial idea was for Zuko to discover he's female and go looking for his lost cock. Oh, how I wish I could write humor!)

* * *

Normally he wouldn't stomp around in the arctic forest like this. If he were hunting, he'd be as quiet as a hamster-mouse in order to sneak up on his prey. He _was_ looking for something, but he didn't need the element of surprise to find it. He just wasn't very happy about coming out here in the first place. It was all his sister's fault.

 _Dad should have never given it to her. He should have known she'd have terrible aim. But, noooooooo, since I have waterbending, she had to have something, too._

Out of frustration, he formed icicles in his gloved hand and hurled them at a nearby tree. Snow and pine cones rained down from the frozen canopy above. He squinted up at the midday sun.

 _Maybe it's stuck in a tree?_

He wasn't sure if the method of launching ice daggers at tree trunks would be effective in his search, but for the time being, it was fun. The whole forest erupted in a flurry of activity as he haphazardly flung water here and there. He always felt better when surrounded by his element. Waterbending always provided a release.

"Ouch!"

It took a moment to register that he was not alone in the forest.

"Who's there?!"

He waited for the snow to settle and the air to clear before cautiously moving toward the source of the sound. He could see red fabric just beyond the outline of a tree trunk. The forest was deadly quiet except for the faintness of heavy breathing.

"I said, who's there?" He summoned water just in case. Red was the color of the enemy.

"If you'll release me, then I'll tell you. And we can work out… an agreement," said a raspy _female_ voice.

 _Release you?_ He circled around just as the other person finished speaking. What he found there made him forget he had been looking for something else altogether.

Pale skin, dark hair, golden eyes. Most definitely Fire Nation. His icicles had pinned her raised hands at the sleeves and parts of her cloak to the tree. She was the enemy, of course, so he had her right where he wanted her, even if just by chance. But he noted a certain beauty about her. Even as she scowled back at him, her face seemed to glow. Even the burn scar across her left eye added to the intrigue. It didn't phase him. He'd seen worse injuries after a Fire Nation attack on his village. It just meant she was a fighter—and a survivor.

She began eyeing him with equal intensity. She noticed his reaction—or lack thereof. "You didn't—nevermind." She cleared her throat and diverted her gaze. "So… the icicles?"

He folded his arms across his chest. "You think I'm just going to release you? A Fire Nation citizen in Water Tribe territory."

"I'm not just any citizen. I'm the princess and the heir to the throne. I can get you whatever you want. Name your price."

"Last I checked, there were no _women_ ruling in the Fire Nation. Unlikely story."

"Fine. I'm a firebender, so I'll just melt my way out of this. And then you'll be sorry."

"If you could do that, then you would have already."

She shifted her weight—and her tactic. "I... I have a ship... with a crew. They'll come looking for me. Let's make a deal, and my men will leave you and your village alone."

That was the first thing that made sense to him. Because he knew he could handle this Fire Nation girl on his own, but it only took a small spark to light a fire. The village couldn't sustain a full attack, not when it was just women and children. Even still, they made all their decisions as a tribe. This should be no different.

"Well, we can't negotiate here. I'm taking you back to the village. You can stand before the Chief. My Gran Gran and older sister will have something to say, too, I'm sure."

"The Chief isn't there. He's out fighting in the war. Do you think I'm that stupid?"

"Well, I'm next in line to be Chief!"

"Last I checked, there were no _second-borns_ ruling in the Water Tribe. Unlikely story." A smirk spread across her face.

 _Dammit. Why does she have to be beautiful and smart?_

He closed the gap between them. He knew better than to allow himself to be that vulnerable, but she made him feel on edge—angry, yes, but also adventurous, and a little aroused if he was willing to admit it. There were no girls his age in the village save his sister.

"Listen! You're in enemy territory and you're MY prisoner, so I don't think you—"

Something shiny hanging around her neck—her slender, perfect neck—caught his eye. It was a gold chain with a brilliant red gemstone pendant. She saw where his gaze had landed, and her breath quickened. His attention then shifted to the rise and fall of her chest.

 _Oh, for the love of tui and la, why me?_

Her voice was low and husky. "I said let's make a deal. But that's not part of my terms."

"Wha-what!?" He didn't know how they did things in the Fire Nation, but he would never think to ask for _that._ But maybe if she offered, he wouldn't decline. It would be for the safety of the tribe after all.

She swallowed hard, and he watched her throat as she did, fighting the urge to get started—and start by kissing her there.

 _I wonder what the scar feels like._ He was taking off his gloves before he even realized he was doing it. _  
_

"The necklace," she said. "It's not part of the negotiations. It's special."

 _Oh._

"And why not? It's bound to be valuable. I could make it worth it to you." He tucked a lock of her hair behind her scarred ear. She flinched.

"It _is_ valuable. But not like you think. It's my… mother's."

"Even better. Something that belongs to the Fire Lady. You said I could name my price."

"No!" she said forcefully. "It's all I have left of her." Her face reddened at the admission, matching the color of her cloak. The color of the enemy.

 _Oh._

He backed away. "S-s-sorry. That's something we have in common, I guess."

Neither of them spoke for a while. He could still hear her heavy breathing. He wondered if she was scared. He wondered if she felt the same way he did. Like maybe they weren't really that different. Like maybe if they weren't enemies, they could be something else.

"So, why are you even here?" he asked.

"I lost something. This is where the trail led me."

"Oh. I lost something, too. Maybe we could look together. What does your, uhh, thing look like?"

"It's not a thing, it's a person. And I don't need your help."

"Well, unless you're looking for a village full of Water Tribe women and children, there's nobody here but you and me."

She let out a long exaggerated sigh. "Yes, it would seem that way. So, are you going to let me go, or what?"

"I told you. I'm taking you back to the village. The question is, do you want to walk on your own? Or do I need to bind you and carry you?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "You're enjoying this way too much."

"Well, if you come along on your own, the tribe will go easier on you."

"Oh, yes, _please_ save me from the peasants!" she mocked.

 _Damn, that's sexy._

He was in her space again—this time with the intention of releasing her from the icicles, one by one, slowly and _sensually_. First, the one by her left rib cage, and he let a hand graze across her midsection as he reached for the one on her right. He heard her gasp and watched the steam from their quickened breaths join together in the narrowing gap between them. Then, the icicle by her thigh, and he could swear she rolled her hip into him. Then, the icicle piercing the fabric of her right pant leg. He yelped as she hooked that leg around him and pulled him into her.

She was close enough to whisper in his ear. "Is that an icicle in your pocket, or are you just—"

He cut her off with a kiss, deep and hungry. It didn't matter that it was his first kiss. It felt familiar—it _tasted_ familiar, like… toasted marshmallows. Yes, that was it—like something burnt combined with something sweet— _mmmm,_ _chocolate_.

She must have freed her hands herself, and if coherent thought were possible at this point, he would have wondered why she didn't just do that in the first place. But those hands—those burning hands—were now rubbing him all over and pushing him to the ground, and he had no choice but to melt underneath her.

He would have never thought removing clothing in such frigid temperatures would offer relief, but his _captive_ was making quick work of it. With his fur coat as a cushion below them and her cloak as a canopy above them, he imagined they were imprisoned there together—soon to be set free. The smell of sweat and sex was thick in the air, but before she lowered herself on him, he reached out and gently caressed her face. It was as if to say, _this isn't part of the negotiations. It's special._

At his touching of the scar, she froze. And shivered. Still hovering over him, she spoke just above a whisper, "So… it doesn't… bother you?"

"Huh?" _What about this situation could possibly bother me?_

"The s-s-scar. It's horrid."

"I didn't—it doesn't still hurt, does it?"

"No. It was—it happened years ago."

He saw pain flash in her eyes as she started to pull away. He wanted nothing more than to take the pain away. He would heal her if he could. And if maybe they weren't enemies— _with benefits_ —he could be someone who would take care of her. He would make sure no one ever hurt her like that again.

He pulled her back toward him. "No. It doesn't bother me. I think you're beautiful."

She looked doubtful at his confession, so he kissed her again. And then again. And again. And the rest was just a jumble of in and out, rise and fall, fire and ice, build and release, blue and red, warrior and captive, princess and peasant...

Then, lost and found.

She did end up going back to the village with him. His sister met them just at the clearing between the tundra and the forest. She glared at the other girl, but he didn't care. She hadn't caused any trouble, yet. Quite the contrary, in fact.

"Sorry, sis. I couldn't find it."

"Of course you didn't! That's because it's a boomerang! It came back!"

He smacked himself on the forehead. "Of course! It's always in the last place you look."

His sister rolled her eyes. "Well, I don't know why you went stomping off into the forest in the first place. So, who's your _friend_ here?"

 _Oh. I never even asked her name._

They both eyed each other nervously and exchanged a series of ums and uhhs before his sister lost her patience. "Oh, nevermind. Aang just arrived, so hurry up, OK?" With that, she bounded off ahead of them.

"Who's Aang?" the Fire Nation princess asked.

"Oh, he's the Avatar. He's a friend of ours," the Water Tribe boy answered.

He couldn't read her expression just then. It wasn't flirty like when she was pinned to the tree. It certainly wasn't sultry like when she was rolling around in the snow. It was dark. And determined. He literally jumped when she summoned a flame and held it strong and steady in the palm of her hand.

"Oh, good. My bending is back," she deadpanned.

"Uhh, that's nice."

"So, I'm ready to begin our _negotiations_."


	7. Wings of Hope

**A/N:** Pro-Bending Circuit Round Four: Minus One (Ozai)

 _Position/Team:_ Earthbender, Capital City Catgators  
 _Prompts Used:_ empty, Fire Nation Capital,  
Quote: "The world does so well..."  
 _Bonus:_ earthbending, same character as teammates  
 _Word Count:_ 2,412

* * *

Messenger hawks were regarded for their speed and intelligence. General Iroh simply saw them as necessary evils, or rather, the bearers of bad news. Of course, he had been fighting in this damn war for so long, he'd forgotten what it felt like to receive good news for a change. The only thing that gave him hope was that his son now fought at his side—and that the city of Ba Sing Se couldn't hold on for much longer.

This particular hawk was bigger than the last one and pesky, too. They often wouldn't release their message unless given a treat first. The General felt like he had received so many hawks recently that he'd soon have to restock on messenger hawk treats. How he was supposed to do that while holding siege to a city was beyond him. Maybe when he ran out of treats, he would just start shooting the birds.

"Dad, I think he likes you." The sound of Lu Ten's laughter was enough to shake him from his sinister reverie. Iroh hated what this war was doing to him—how he could feel consumed yet empty all at the same time. In his mind, there was only one reason to keep fighting—for the future of the Fire Nation—for the next generation to live with the promise of peace. But with the way his father, Fire Lord Azulon, pressed on with his brutal war tactics, such notions were far from reach.

Lu Ten—his hope, his everything—handed him the message. It was from his father—the destroyer of hope, the destroyer of _everything._

* * *

 _General Iroh–_

 _Something has happened to your brother, Ozai. I need you to come back to the Capital immediately. I have sent orders to have Lu Ten reassigned._

 _–Fire Lord Azulon_

* * *

"What is it, Dad?" The smile on the young man's face— _his beautiful face_ —faded quickly into a look of concern.

That look would be the one etched in Iroh's memory forever. It was one of the last times he was able to study his son so intently, as if searching for a flicker of hope for the future in his eyes. He didn't see it.

Because there was no hope.

* * *

General Iroh wasn't sure if it was the news of Ozai's death or simply being _home_ that made him feel numb. The funeral was dark and cold despite his brother's remains burning bright and hot on the pyre. Fire Lord Azulon acted distant, only speaking to Iroh about matters of politics and war. But this wasn't any different than before. If anything, going through the motions was easier without Ozai _in the way_.

This time, the messenger hawk was small, a female. She didn't beg for a treat which was good, because in his short time at the Capital, Iroh hadn't procured any. He hoped it was word from his son since he hadn't heard anything since they parted ways in Ba Sing Se. He watched until the bird became a tiny speck in the sky before he read the message. Then, he dropped to his knees and cried out in anguish. Lu Ten was gone.

* * *

"Come on, General. You just have to sit there. You don't have to say anything. These meetings are dreadfully boring, anyway," General Kazin coaxed a reluctant Iroh outside the war chamber.

"You've always been a good friend, Kazin. But I'm afraid I've lost my taste for war these days," Iroh replied solemnly.

"We _all_ have, General. But the Fire Lord—"

"Prince Iroh! General Kazin!" Azulon's voice bellowed from inside the room. "The meeting is about to begin!"

Iroh let out a long sigh as he slid into his seat. Perhaps he could simply bide his time and ignore the goings-on of the war planning. With Lu Ten gone, he had no interest in what was happening on the battlefront. Until someone was ready to discuss ending the war, he intended to keep silent.

General Bujing stood to make his proposal, pointing at the map as he did. "The Earth Kingdom defenses are concentrated here. A dangerous battalion of their strongest earthbenders and fiercest warriors. So I am recommending the forty-first division."

Iroh's ears perked up at this. That was Lu Ten's division.

General Kazin spoke next. "But the forty-first is entirely new recruits. How to you expect them to defeat a powerful Earth Kingdom battalion?"

" _I don't_ ," Bujing replied. "They'll be used as a distraction while we mount an attack from the rear. What better to use as bait than fresh meat?"

Something snapped in Iroh. He shot to his feet, fire burning in his fists. "So _this_ is what it's come to now? Sacrificing our own soldiers who love and defend our great nation? Our youth… our future… MY SON!"

"General Iroh, let's just—" General Kazin reached for his elbow, but Iroh shoved him away.

"NO! THIS IS NOT GREATNESS! THIS IS MADNESS! And if this is how we treat our own people, then we have no business ruling the world!"

"SILENCE!" The Fire Lord's command echoed throughout the chamber.

For several strained seconds, the only sound that could be heard was Iroh's heavy breathing and the cackling of the flames that separated his father from the rest of them.

"Prince Iroh, you may take your seat. General Bujing, you may continue," Azulon instructed.

"I AM DONE, THEN!" Iroh clinched his fiery fists and took several long strides toward the door.

"You will stop right there if you know what's good for you." The Fire Lord's tone remained cool and calm.

Iroh turned to face the flames, but his vision blurred and his voice faltered. "No, Father. None of this is good. There is nothing good about pointless bloodshed."

"I think General Bujing disagrees." Azulon's statement came out like a spark.

The General nodded, a smirk spreading across his face. He had been ignited.

The glow from the wall of fire intensified. "Then the only way to settle this is through Agni Kai. It will be at sundown tomorrow. Prince Iroh, if you are truly done here, as you say, then you are dismissed."

* * *

Iroh handed the hawk a whole handful of treats and stroked its feathers. He wasn't usually so affectionate with the birds, but he needed his message to make it through. Even though he despised what the messenger hawk often represented, Lu Ten had always treated them like pets, so this was for him. He was even talking to the damn bird.

"It would be nice to just fly away from all of this. The world could do so well without me..." He choked back a sob. "Why Lu Ten and not me?"

The hawk cocked its head to the side as if considering Iroh's words. "But you and I, we're tied to this world, aren't we? You know nothing but the flight. And I know nothing but the fight. Yet... I am moved to wish that I could do equally well without the world."

With a deep sigh, Iroh tried to steady his hand as his quill hovered over tear-stained parchment. He had been waiting to send these instructions—for what, he didn't know—but on the brink of an Agni Kai, he felt pressed to finally do so. The formal fire duel wasn't meant to be fought to the death, and Iroh wasn't afraid of General Bujing. He just felt heavy—like he often did the night before a decisive battle. War had apparently followed him home—or rather, home was where the war _began._ It was weighty. And he was weary.

It was time to lay Lu Ten to rest. He quickly crafted the message to his in-laws who resided on Ember Island. He had sent his son's remains there. The boy grew up in the Capital, but this was no place for him now. If hope had ever been alive in this place, it was long since gone, dead, _killed._

* * *

 _Regrettably I am bound by my responsibilities here, and I implore you to conduct the ceremony for Lu Ten in my absence. I will hold a personal vigil for him in the Capital, but his place is at peace there with you. Please scatter his ashes along the beach and out to sea. He always loved his visits to the island. I sent him there so he may be free. Please, give my boy wings._

* * *

The Agni Kai arena was fuller than Iroh had ever seen it. Then again, he had heard the murmurings, how everyone wanted to see the revered Dragon of the West. He wondered what would happen if he refused. He had _never_ surrendered a fight. It would be one way to make a statement—to show his father he was truly done. But the Fire Lord would surely see it as shameful, and if Iroh had one fight left in him, he would fight for the forty-first division. _For Lu Ten._

When Iroh turned to face his opponent, he wasn't altogether surprised to see Azulon standing in General Bujing's place. Somehow he knew this would happen. Perhaps this was the showdown that was always meant to be. And maybe if Iroh won—if he could beat his father at this—then no one else had to get hurt. This could mean the end of the war.

But when Iroh saw the look in the Fire Lord's eyes, he knew it didn't matter. He would have to _kill_ his father to end the war. A century's worth of hatred and anger radiated from Azulon, and no matter how many Agni Kais or battles Iroh won, he would be powerless to stop the rage. He was so tired of fighting, and he knew he would be fighting until the day his father died. Today would not be that day.

Iroh dropped to his knees to signal his surrender. "Please, Father. I meant you no disrespect. I am your loyal son."

"Rise and fight, Prince Iroh!" Azulon snarled.

"I won't fight you."

"You will fight for your honor!'

"There is no honor in a fight between father and son."

"You dare to challenge _MY_ honor? Show your respect and fight!"

"Father, we should fight alongside each other in times of war. If we fight against each other, then our cause is lost."

"Do not speak to me as if I don't know about war. I've been fighting in this war since I was younger than Lu Ten."

Iroh stiffened at the mentioning of his son, but if his father was provoking him, he refused to succumb. "Lu Ten had more honor than us all. And I would _never_ challenge him to a fight."

With his head still bowed, Iroh heard the growl that rumbled deep in the Fire Lord's throat and saw the shadow of his raised fist. He could feel the heat, the hate— _the hurt._ Whatever pain came next, he knew he could endure—it was surely what he _deserved._ And if it was his time to leave this world, then so be it. He was more than ready. He was _done.  
_

But then it was over. He heard his father address the crowd in a booming voice, but he couldn't make out the words with his pulse beating behind his ears. He lifted his head just in time to watch Azulon's retreating form cross the platform. He then stared hard at the ground below him where he crouched, gasping for air, and wondering if the droplets that fell were sweat or tears.

* * *

Iroh wiped the sweat from his brow as tears formed at the corner of his eyes. He told himself it was the sting of the salty sea air, but then he couldn't explain away the ache he felt in his heart as he clutched at his chest. He had heard that Ember Island reveals the true self, and as he watched the waves crash onto the beach, Iroh wondered if anything from his life had been true at all. His father spoke of honor, but only in terms of the fight. Where was the honor of living—that held life as precious and didn't require such heartless sacrifice?

The messenger hawk landed on his shoulder and began pecking at his topknot.

"Damn bird," he snapped while snagging the scroll from its leg. The hawk squawked in protest, leaving a mess of his hair before flying away. Iroh laughed at the situation simply because Lu Ten would have. His chuckle turned to a choke when he saw who the letter was from—his father.

* * *

 _Prince Iroh—_

 _I had hoped we could talk before you left for Ember Island. I suppose this letter will suffice. I regret how things ended—I regret many things, in fact. The Agni Kai was foolish, I now realize. It would have been much better suited to teach your brother a lesson, not you._

 _Had I taught Ozai better, I could have saved him from his fate. He never learned proper respect, and the suffering he caused led to his untimely death. I have always been proud of you, my son. I would spare you this pain of losing a child if I could._

 _I want you to know that I assigned Lu Ten to the forty-first division precisely because they were new recruits serving far from the center of the war. It was my intention to save him, not sacrifice him. While I disapprove of insubordination in the war room, I did not approve of General Bujing's plan._

 _—Fire Lord Azulon_

* * *

Upon reading the message, the pressure in Iroh's chest released. But so did the tears. He cried for the loss of his brother. He cried for the loss of his son. He cried for the loss of so many lives in a war that had gone on for too long.

His father knew the pain of loss, too. Perhaps it was enough to make him see. Maybe true honor could be found, fought for, _restored_. Did Iroh dare to have hope?

Or would peace always be beyond reach, a dream cast into the wind like the ashes of the deceased? Birds would always bring messages of despair, and the war soared on with broken wings.


	8. In Hot Water

**A/N:** Pro-Bending Circuit Round Four: Minus One (Ozai)

 _Position/Team:_ Waterbender, Capital City Catgators  
 _Prompts Used:_ cheese, hot chocolate  
 _Bonus:_ same character as teammates  
 _Word Count:_ 952

* * *

"Tea, Nephew?" The old man pushed a steaming cup across the table toward the surly teen.

The boy crinkled his nose in response. "Do you have any hot chocolate?"

The other sighed and shrugged. "This is a tea shop, Nephew."

"Well, it's not like hot chocolate is hard to make. You just mix hot water with—oh, never mind. And I have a name, you know."

"Yes, Zuko, I know. And you probably think all tea is just hot leaf juice. Go on, try it."

"Well, isn't it?" Zuko stared back at his uncle before resigning to take a small reluctant sip. Surprisingly, it didn't taste half bad. It was actually quite good.

Uncle Iroh tipped his head and took a long drink of his own tea. "Now, do you want to tell me how you got that nasty bruise on your face?"

"No."

"Do you want to tell me how you got expelled from school?"

"No."

"Do you know why your mother sent you here?"

"No."

Iroh raised an eyebrow while rubbing a finger around the rim of his cup. "Hmmmm. She didn't mention how much of a conversationalist you are. What is she going to do without you around?"

Zuko slumped down further in his chair. "She doesn't care about me."

"You know that's not true, Nephew. Your mother has had a hard life. You may feel like she's abandoned you, and you've been banished to work in a tea shop with your uncle, but Ba Sing Se isn't so bad. You may find you enjoy the change of pace… and scenery."

"Whatever."

"OK, well, I've got to finish up here. You get settled in the apartment. How about we order pizza for dinner? What kind do you like?"

"Uhh. Cheese?"

"Just cheese? No meat? No veggies?"

"Yeah. Just cheese."

"Huh. I forgot about teenagers and their picky tastes. OK, cheese it is, then!"

* * *

Zuko winced as he chewed his pizza, trying to ignore his uncle's look of concern. The man was so oppressively nice. Given his family history, it was a wonder they were related at all.

"Are you sure you don't want any ice for that? It's turning all sorts of colors." Iroh reached toward his nephew as if to make a comforting gesture but then thought better of it.

"No, it's… fine."

For several minutes of awkward silence, Zuko tolerated his uncle's endearing, yet scrutinizing gaze. Finally, "It was a much older, bigger kid at my school. I shouldn't have fought him. I was just—"

"Trying to prove a point?"

"No."

"Trying to impress somebody?"

"No!"

"Protecting someone, then."

"Nnn—yes." At this statement, Zuko felt his defensive posture relax. "I guess you could say that. He was picking on a younger student. He _always_ picks on little kids. He's a bully, and someone needed to put him in his place. I did a pretty shitty job of it, though. I was in over my head."

"Did you tell the principal about this?" Iroh's expression of concern was back, knitted in his wrinkled brow.

"No. It wouldn't do any good to try and explain. He'd just say I'm being disrespectful, talking out of turn."

"Did you tell your mother, then?"

"No, she—well, last time she said violence was never the answer, so…"

"Last time?"

Zuko sighed. It did seem easier to talk to Uncle Iroh than anyone else, but this incident had raised more questions than others. Questions he wasn't sure he was ready to face the answers to just yet. Regardless, he lifted his t-shirt to reveal a scar across his abdomen.

A hissing sound escaped from between Iroh's teeth. "Yes, I remember Ursa calling when you were in the hospital. Were you protecting someone that time, too?"

Zuko let out a fake cough. "Um, yes. A girl."

A few more minutes of strained silence passed between them. Zuko focused on slowly chewing each cheesy bite. His mother _never_ ordered pizza for dinner.

Iroh made a low sound deep in his throat. "Hmmmm, well, I was beginning to worry when I heard about all the fighting at school, but hearing you talk now has been confirmation of one thing, at least."

"What's that?" Zuko asked with his mouth full. He could almost hear his mother's scolding tone.

But it was his uncle's calm assurance that came instead. "You're nothing like your father. He would never fight for others. Only for himself."

"Oh." He hadn't expected _that._

"I'm sorry, Zuko. We don't have to talk about such things—about him."

Truth be told, Zuko had been thinking a lot about his father recently even though he hadn't seen the man in years. "Well, the school counselor says I fight a lot because of him. Or because he's not around anymore. I dunno, Uncle. I feel like it's better, though… with him gone. Is that bad?"

"It is better, and you don't have to feel bad for thinking that. But that doesn't mean that Ozai didn't leave his mark. Healing takes time. And it's possible he lit a fire in you. But instead of burning anger, I see potential for a flaming passion in you. Where others may have seen fit to extinguish it, Nephew, I think we need to stoke it. Contain it, yes, but watch it grow."

Suddenly, the long train ride, the cup of tea, a hot meal, and the heavy conversation made Zuko feel very, very tired.

But he also felt something he hadn't in a long time—hope.

* * *

 **A/N:** This is a modern AU, if that's not obvious, and one of those where there's no bending, I guess. And there's a chapter two, too, so click "next."


	9. In Deep Water

**A/N:** This is a continuation of the previous chapter: _In Hot Water._

* * *

Zuko tugged at the collared shirt of his tea shop uniform. He had hoped that in moving away from home he could wear his own clothes for a change. He hated the school uniform—the collared shirt, specifically. It always made him feel uncomfortable. Much like he felt now, but it was more from the customers' unforgiving stares at his bruised face.

"I must look like a Fire Nation hoodlum to these upper class Earth Kingdom citizens," he thought to himself. Although his family had money, he was sure of it. They lived in an upscale neighborhood in the Capital, and he attended the elite academy. Past tense— _attended_ —of course. He sighed as he scooped up the empty dishes from a recently vacated table.

"Table five's order is ready," Iroh called from the bar.

Zuko groaned as he approached table five. Couldn't the other tea shop patrons see? He wasn't the hoodlum. _They_ were.

A dark-skinned boy with a sharp eyebrow glared at him. "You're new in town."

Zuko simply distributed the drinks, determined not to engage. He'd been in enough fights at school to know this group meant trouble.

"The name's Jet. And this is Longshot and Smellerbee."

Zuko suppressed a laugh. "Those are actual names?" he thought.

"What's so funny, assface?"

"Err—nothing." Zuko scowled. It was his second day on the job. He didn't want to disappoint his uncle, not after everything the man had done for him. They'd even had cheese pizza for dinner for a second night in a row.

"Are you the owner's nephew?"

Zuko was taken aback by the question. Although he didn't suppose it mattered if people knew. "Y-y-yeah, why?"

Jet leaned in to speak just above a whisper, "So is it true, then? That he used to be the Dragon of the West?"

Zuko's eyes went wide. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

" _Sure_ you don't." Jet then settled back in his chair. "So, let's see. Then that makes you son of the Fire Lord."

"F-f-fire Lord?" Zuko felt his blood go cold. He had heard rumors of the Dragon of the West, but he knew nothing of a so-called Fire Lord.

The girl who had been introduced as Smellerbee tugged at Jet's sleeve. "He doesn't know anything, Jet. Just drop it, OK? You don't want to get picked up by the Dai Li again."

"Who's the Dai—never mind. Umm, enjoy your tea and have a nice day." Zuko turned on a heal as his pulse quickened and his mind flooded with questions.

"Yeah, you better watch your back Fire Prince," Jet called after him. "The Freedom Fighters got a bone to pick with your daddy dearest."

* * *

"Zuko? Zuko!"

The teen tried to bury his face deeper in his pillow but the bruise screamed in protest.

His uncle threw open the door to his room. "Oh, there you are! I was worried after you left the shop in such a hurry."

"I'm fine," Zuko mumbled.

"I saw you talking to Jet. I'm… sorry about that. I should have warned you. He's all talk, though. Don't let him get to you."

"He said he knows my dad."

"That's impossible, Nephew. No one has seen your father in years."

"C-c-called him The Fire Lord. Whatever the hell that means. And said you were… the… Dragon of the West. Is that… true?"

"I'm not—that's not who I am—anymore."

Zuko's breath caught in his throat. He sat up on his bed and rotated so he could see his uncle's form silhouetted in the doorway. "B-b-but you _were_?"

"May I come in?" was the man's solemn answer.

Zuko nodded and watched as Iroh took the chair opposite the bed. Warm amber eyes were rimmed with sadness— _remorse_ —as he spoke. "There was a time in my life when I was driven by power and money. It's not something I'm proud of, yet unfortunately, I cannot escape the legacy I left behind. The truth doesn't often come knocking here in Ba Sing Se. Jet has his theories, but no one really listens to him and his gang of troublemakers."

"But the Dragon of the West is a rumored drug lord, did you—" Zuko gasped. " _Lord._ Was my father—?"

"We were in it together for a while, yes. But then I wanted out. And your father rose to a new level."

"As Fire Lord?"

"Ah, Jet told you that, too? Yes, he went by that name in his more underground dealings. He was building an empire. He had a lot of enemies, though, and that's probably how—"

Zuko nodded. Nobody, not even his mother, talked about why Ozai disappeared. He had enough childhood memories to know that his father was a bad man, but he hadn't expected this. Suddenly certain things started to make sense. His mother wanted him to attend the academy to be among cream of the crop students. She, like many parents, was disillusioned into thinking that rich kids were protected from the drug scene. He didn't know what it was like in other schools, but substance abuse was rampant in his.

And if his father was a well-known dealer, that must be why he was so often solicited at school. He would be lying if he said he hadn't been tempted—to either begin using or dealing—but he always knew if his mother found out, it would break her. Now he couldn't fathom what she must've endured when his father was still around. Yet, she sent him here, into the care of another famed kingpin. Surely she knew.

"But Mom—" Zuko started.

"She wanted out, too. That's why I agreed when you said it was better with your father gone. And she especially didn't want you to get involved. The fights at school really worried her."

"But she sent me to you."

Now the look in Iroh's eyes turned to something else entirely—glassy and grief-stricken. Zuko felt his stomach clinch as he uncle gave a broken explanation.

"I—lost my own son—to this war. He… wanted to follow in my footsteps, but he was too young. Too inexperienced. I didn't—I should have stopped before it was too late. Your mother knows I would—it truly ended there, Zuko. With Lu Ten's death. I would _never_ let the same thing happen to you."

Zuko stared hard at the floor as he listened to the muffled sounds of his uncle's sniffling. This was not what he expected _at all_ in coming to Ba Sing Se, the so-called City of Walls and Secrets.

Yet, even with all the secrets, he felt his own walls starting to crumble. He finally understood why no one wanted to talk about his dark family past. And somehow _knowing_ made him feel more in control of his own future.

Iroh let out a sigh and then a chuckle. "Hey, how about I make you that hot chocolate you wanted?"

"That sounds great, Uncle." Zuko managed a small smile. "And thank you."

As they both stood, Iroh opened his arms slightly but then recoiled. Perhaps his nephew wasn't ready for his boisterous expressions of affection just yet.

But Zuko picked up on the hint and closed the gap between them. It was a short embrace, but an action that spoke louder than words. Which was good because neither of them were sure what to say anyway.

* * *

 **A/N:** OK, the big drug lord reveal wasn't supposed to end up so sappy. I initially imagined something darker and more devious for these two chapters, but when it comes to Iroh-Zuko interactions, I guess I can't channel it any other way. Then I considered a crossover, perhaps making this a full-blown fic. _The Wire_ seemed the most obvious, Ba Sing Se = Baltimore or something like that. Too dramatic for me, though. Hmm, how about _Breaking Bad_? I'll keep thinking on it.


	10. The Tropes of Ba Sing Se

_Vignette Trope \- An episode in a normal series that is composed of two or more vignettes. Most times they are unrelated or only held together by a framing device or a common theme. Happens when a writer wants to try something completely different._

 **A/N:** So, how about these _completely different_ endings to the vignettes from _The Tales of Ba Sing Se?_ (Based on prompts for the Pro-Bending Competition. See footnotes.)

* * *

As they exited the Fancy Lady Day Spa, Katara couldn't help but laugh. She hoped they didn't owe the spa any money for the giant hole Toph bent in the wall. Needless to say, pedicures did not go well. The mud bath had been especially invigorating, though, and Katara reflected on the mixing of their elements, earth and water. It seemed almost symbolic of their friendship, much like the rocks and steam in the sauna, too. Sure, things had been heated between them at times, but they were always able to smooth over their differences. She let out another giggle in spite of herself.

"Hey! What's so funny!?" Toph delivered a friendly punch to Katara's arm.

A spattering of high-pitched cackles came from seemingly nowhere followed by, "What's so funny? I'll tell you what's funny. That clown make-up you're wearing."

Toph and Katara rounded on three young women, all impeccably dressed in the latest Earth Kingdom fashion with stylish hair and accessories to boot.

Another girl joined in on the teasing. "Aww, I think she looks cute. Like that time we put a sweater on your pet poodle monkey."

Katara clinched her fists. Where was her waterskin when she needed it? No, it was probably best to just keep walking and ignore them. "Come on, Toph, let's go."

The first girl persisted. "I'm surprised they let you in the spa. It's not a zoo, you know. How did you even get out of your cage?"

"Good one, Star!" Then all three of them erupted into grating girlish giggling.

Katara sensed Toph's anger and placed a hand on her arm, but the earthbender was already poised for action. "No, no, that _was_ a good one." She laughed maniacally, _menacingly._ "You know what else is a good one?"

As Katara watched the ground open below the girls' feet, thus dropping them into the water beneath the bridge on which they happened to be standing, she had to admit they had it coming. To add insult to injury—or perhaps injury to insult—she bent a wave a water over them to wash them downstream.

She turned to face Toph, stiff and stoic. "Hey, those girls don't know what they're talking about."

"It's okay. One of the good things about being blind, is I don't have to worry about appearance." With a slight sniffle, Toph's walls started to crumble a little. "I don't care what I look like. I don't need anyone's approval. I know who I am."

Katara didn't miss the tear that rolled down her friend's cheek. "That's what I really admire about you. You're so strong, confident, and self-assured. And I know it doesn't matter, but... you're really pretty, too."

Their moment was interrupted by a sudden shrill voice. "Hey! Wait up!" One of the girls from the bridge was running toward them, soaking wet and looking quite the mess. Katara narrowed her eyes at the intruder as she felt the ground below her rumble with the impending threat of earthbending.

"What do _you_ want?" Toph snarled.

"I want…to…" the girl panted as she finally caught up to them. "Apologize."

"You _what_?" Katara and Toph chorused.

"I'm so sorry about my friends. I should have said something. They have no right to treat you like that. And… I'm sorry. For laughing and going along with it. I—uhh…yeah, so, I'll just go now." She shrugged and turned to walk away.

It took the others a minute to register what had just happened. "W-w-wait!" Toph called after her. "Um, thanks, I guess? For your apology. It means a lot."

The girl spun around so quickly that water droplets sprayed off her and splashed them in the process. "Oh! I'm so glad you're not mad. Or well, you have every right to be mad, but can I make it up to you? My mom actually owns the Fancy Lady Day Spa, so I can get you in for free anytime you'd like."

"Uhh, thanks," Toph mumbled. Katara winced in response. They probably would not be welcomed back there. Not after busting a hole in the wall and scaring away the attendants with zombie mud masks and all.

"My name is Mia," the girl said. "And I've lived here all my life, so if there's anything you need help with, just let me know."

Katara knew that while they didn't need any more spa services, they could really use some help with finding Appa. Maybe their new friend could redeem herself after all.

* * *

As Iroh wandered through the market in Ba Sing Se's lower ring, it struck him how even the littlest things reminded him of Lu Ten. The baskets brought back memories of picnics on the beach at their Ember Island vacation home. While browsing at one stall, he spotted a moonflower misplaced in full sunlight. Lu Ten always appreciated the finer things in life. Soldier had not been the best position for his son. The boy would have bloomed beautifully had he not been somewhere with such intense pressure, such _heat._

A child's cry broke through Iroh's solemn reverie. It was becoming harder to remember Lu Ten when he was that young, but Iroh would never forget his favorite song, _Leaves From the Vine_. Whether for a babe in arms or a soldier at arms, the song had a soothing effect. The former general could almost hear his son singing even now like he did on many a weary night back at their camp during the city's siege.

It worked its magic once again. As Iroh belted out the lyrics, the child from the market crowd stopped fussing. Iroh paused to revel in the moment, feeling the familiar sting at the corner of his eyes, when a soccer ball brushed past his knees. Then, four older boys whipped past him in a gust of dirt and wind.

"You little scoundrels!" a large man hollered as he ran after the retreating figures.

Thinking maybe he could help, Iroh tracked them to an alleyway. He'd always had little tolerance for bullies. Something about having Ozai for a brother. Or just being from the Fire Nation as a consequence. When he stopped for a minute to catch his breath, he feared he had lost them.

"You! Give me all your money!" A dark shadow emerged before him.

Iroh eyed the man curiously. "What are you doing?"

Frustrated, the mugger waved his dagger at Iroh. "I'm robbing you!"

"With that stance?" The firebender quirked a brow.

"What're you talking about? Just give me your money, old man!"

Iroh sighed and shook his head. "With a poor stance, you are unbalanced." He then demonstrated his point by grabbing the man's arm, taking the weapon, and knocking him to the ground in one swift motion.

The defeated criminal looked up, thoroughly confused when Iroh offered him a hand and continued, "With a solid stance, you are a much more serious threat. Here, let me show you."

"No one has ever… taught me before. I've just been on my own on the streets for as long as I can remember," the man confessed.

Iroh then knew that it wasn't the crying child or the ones running from the bully he was meant to help. No, destiny had delivered him _this_ man.

"I'm sorry." The robber pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't usually—hey, were you the one singing the song? In the market?"

"Let's have some tea, shall we?" Iroh suggested.

Once they had settled in with a nice brew of oolong, apparently the man's favorite, he started again. "I know the song. From somewhere. Before the lights. And the man in green."

Iroh squinted at the sight of him as if this would help him see more clearly. There was something strangely familiar about him. It was Lu Ten's birthday, and everything served as a reminder of his late son. Oolong had been his favorite tea, too.

"Would you mind singing it again?" the man whispered.

Iroh complied, and it was like a flame ignited in the other's eyes, _golden eyes_. "I'm from… the Fire Nation. I came here to fight… but they… captured me. And erased my memories."

Iroh closed his eyes as he listened to the man's voice. Could it be? They never found Lu Ten's body. And it was the corrupt Dai Li who had reported him dead. He should have never trusted them. He should've looked for his soldier boy. Instead he left him here—fragile, drifting, _alone_ —while he went marching home. What could he even say to this brave man to make up for all those years?

He opened his eyes when he felt a light tough on his forearm. He was met with an expectant golden gaze and yes, the face of his son, how did he not see it before?

"Father?"

Iroh could only answer with a fierce embrace, trying to hold back the flood of emotions. He still didn't know what to say and was ashamed when all that came out was, "It would seem I've managed to knock over our teapot."

"There's no use in crying over spilled tea," was Lu Ten's perfect answer.

 _*In honor of Doris_

* * *

Aang had a soft spot for animals, it was true. Well, he cared for all living creatures as an Air Nomad. But right now, there was one specific creature he was on the lookout for, and the fruitless efforts in finding Appa were discouraging to say the least. When he ran across Ba Sing Se's sad excuse for a zoo, an idea boosted his spirits.

The plan seemed great at first, it was just execution that posed a problem. He wanted to move all of the animals outside of the wall where they would have more space, and he could build them bigger paddocks with his earthbending. He had a vision, he just didn't anticipate all the animals wreaking havoc on half the city while trying to herd them to their new home.

The street vendors were livid as creatures relentlessly ravaged their shops. Aang felt especially bad for the cabbage guy since they'd had an encounter or two before. He blasted air at the rabaroo to divert her away from the cabbage cart, but she kept munching away with no regard to him whatsoever.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Cabbage Man, sir. I thought I could round them up with my airbending. They just seem to like your cabbages so much," he apologized to the very disgruntled salesman.

"You owe me, Avatar!" the cabbage guy sneered.

Then Aang had an idea. "What if we used your cabbages to lure the animals to the outside wall? I promise I'll repay you. I just need to get them out of the city."

While the cabbage guy considered the proposition, a troop of hogmonkeys turned over a nearby lettuce cart, his _competitor_. He smiled deviously. "No can do, Avatar. I've just gained the monopoly on leafy vegetables around here. Plus, why should _I_ help you?"

No sooner had he said those words than an armadillo bison stampede barreled through the market, trampling the poor man and his cart to the ground. Aang barely had time to air blast himself out of the way. He stared down at the smattering of greens and… other things, his heart hammering in his chest. He couldn't do anything for the cabbage guy now, but the rest of the city still needed saving, especially from those armadillo bison.

 _Bison!_ That was it! He pulled out his bison whistle, took a huge breath, gave an epic blow, and finally all the zoo animals were at his command.

* * *

Sokka prided himself in being able to think on his feet. And he'd always considered himself to be a ladies' man. So, while poetry seemed like something for those hopeless romantic types—not him, _no_ —he was pleasantly surprised by his success on haiku night. The poems were fine, yeah, whatever. But success with the ladies, now _that's_ what Sokka was talking about.

He delivered the final blow in his duel with the haiku instructor. "That's right, I'm Sokka, it's pronounced with an 'okka,' ladies, I rocked ya!"

After the young women applauded and giggled, the instructor begrudgingly announced, "Next week we will meet, be careful with whom you speak, now I take my leave."

Sokka left with eight new lady friends in tow. Where should they go?

"Hey, I'm new in town, look at the friends I have found, please show me around?"

"Okka, you don't have to keep rhyming. Class is over now," one girl said as she hooked her elbow in his.

"His name is Sokka. Or weren't you listening, girl! She's not worth your time." Another girl shoved the first aside as she spoke, coincidentally in haiku form. _Or was it?_

"Ladies, ladies. There's enough Sokka for everyone." He raised his hands in a placating gesture.

The two women began glowering at each other. There was about to be another duel.

"My name may be Rose. But a flower has sharp thorns. Love can prick the soul."

Sokka shuddered at that one. She sounded dangerous. He wasn't looking for love. Just a little fun.

"My name is Lily. A blooming beauty 'tis true. Love should not hurt you."

Sokka thought she sounded safer. But again, what was up with all the love talk?

"No love at first sight. Only dreamers dream of that. And I just woke up."

Sokka then realized that this could go on forever. He was hungry, and he was not one to ignore his stomach talking. It spoke in low rumbles and random syllables. Nothing poetic about a man who needed his meat.

"Hey, where can we eat? This poetry has been neat. Thanks, but I am beat!"

* * *

Zuko shuffled up next to his uncle at the tea shop counter. "We have a problem. One of the customers is on to us. There is a girl over there at the corner table. She knows we're Fire Nation."

Iroh chuckled. "You're right, Zuko. I've seen that girl in here a lot. Seems to me she has quite a little crush on you."

The Fire Prince's cheeks pinked. "What? No, I mean, what if she works for someone, you know? Like—"

Suddenly the girl was standing right there. "Thank you for the tea. What's your name? Would you like to go out sometime?"

Both men gaped at her. The younger stammered, "Err, you're welcome. Uhh, Lee. My name is Lee."

"And he'd love to go out with you!" Iroh added, much to his nephew's chagrin.

"Great. My name is Jin. I'll meet you in front of the shop at sundown." With a smile and a wave, she was gone.

Zuko ran a palm over his fully flushed face. "What am I going to do?"

"Enjoy yourself," was Iroh's simple answer.

It was an enjoyable date, Zuko acquiesced. Aside from his obvious blunders like making comments about her robust appetite, lying about being in a traveling circus, and proclaiming to the entire restaurant that she was NOT his girlfriend. Somehow after all that, she still wanted to walk around the city after dinner.

It bothered him, though, that she kept asking him questions about his life without disclosing much about hers. It didn't do much to quell any suspicions he had about her working for someone, but he didn't have much to base that on other than a hunch. He'd never been good at reading people or following his instincts anyway. Like when she leaned in for a kiss, and he quickly filled the gap between them with a coupon for free tea.

He figured that he'd blown the date at that point, so she surprised him when she said, "Hey, I want to show you my favorite place in the city."

She continued talking as they walked. "I'm so excited for you to see the Firelight Fountain. The lamps make the water sparkle and reflect in the pool in the most beautiful way."

But when they arrived, he saw her shoulders droop in disappointment. "I can't believe they're not lit!"

Zuko knew he shouldn't, but she had been so pleasant and unassuming. He felt foolish for thinking she could be anything else besides a nice girl who seemed genuinely interested in getting to know him better. Also, this would likely be their only date—since it was _complicated—_ so he could do this one little thing for her, couldn't he?

"Close your eyes. Don't peek."

As soon as the first burst of flame left his finger, her hand closed around his wrist. "I knew it! You're a firebender!"

"You weren't supposed to peek," he said, although it really didn't matter now.

Her eyes darted around the fountain square, and without warning, she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward a dark alley. He didn't resist because he had no idea what to do or think.

"Listen, Lee. I was sent by the Dai Li as an undercover agent. They're onto you and your uncle. They got an insider tip. I'm going to report that I didn't find anything, but I just want you to know… to lay low… and no firebending! That was a pretty dumb stunt you just pulled!"

"Uhh, OK." Zuko's mind went completely blank.

Jin cast him a rueful look. "Take care of yourself, OK?" After a small hand squeeze, she turned to leave.

Before she got too far, he finally gathered his wits. "Jin, why?"

He caught up to her just in front of the fountain. "Why help us? Why not turn us in?"

She eyed him cautiously before cupping his face and pulling him closer to her. "Because I like you, you big idiot." Then she kissed him.

When they parted, the Firelight Fountain had been lit.

* * *

Momo knew he wasn't just some monkey even though he had been reduced to a street performer for a brief stint while trying to shirk those pesky pygmy pumas. He was a flying lemur and a friend of the Avatar, and he certainly wasn't going to sit around in a cage and wait for his captors to decide his fate. He glanced down at the tuft of Appa's fur still wrapped around his wrist as he slipped his arm through the cage slats to release the lock.

Enough of this monkey business! It was time to go find his friend!

A _yeowl_ and a whimper. Momo looked back at those pathetic pumas still locked in their cage. Weren't they just trying to kill him? Since when did a monkey have a conscience?

Momo was not a monkey, though.

A rescue operation was a surefire way to make new friends, he discovered. One particular puma kept expressing her gratitude with affectionate cuddling. It tickled when she licked his ears. And that purring sound she made was quite… alluring.

Momo thought he might be purring, too, but then he realized it was his stomach growling. The puma seemed to notice, and consequently, she grabbed the ringlet of Appa fur and took off down the alleyway. Momo had no choice but to follow her.

The cat slowed when they reached a nondescript double-hung door where she began scratching on the lower half.

A man dressed in chef's attire appeared. "Hey, Hiro! Look, Kuro's back!"

Momo watched curiously as the puma pounced on the two men, smothering them with rubs and licks. Finally the other said, "Yuki, I'll go get some scraps for Kuro before she eats us up!"

Before he knew what was happening, Momo was being nudged into the mix.

"Oh! Kuro brought a friend!" Yuki exclaimed. "Hiro, bring out tonight's special, udon noodles! We don't want to make a bad first impression with table scraps."

Yuki then bent down and began scratching Momo's ears. "Well, well. Kuro, you cheeky monkey, you. A flying lemur! What a rare and exotic creature!"

Momo appreciated all the attention, he really did, but he was most appreciative when the food arrived. He slurped up the noodles so fast, he didn't even notice that a table had been set and soft music was playing in the background.

 _Slurp. Slurp. Gulp._ He was at the end of his noodle and lip to lip with his new feline friend. Did pumas even have lips? As a lemur, he knew he had an opposable thumb, so surely he had lips, too. It was worth investigating, at least. For the sake of science.

All in all, it was a lovely evening. They ended it by strolling down the lantern-lit streets of Ba Sing Se. Momo had momentarily forgotten about his troubles until he slipped and fell into a giant impression in the ground. The distinct shape and smell of it brought him back to his senses.

It was Appa's footprint.

* * *

*Doris was my grandmother, a schoolteacher for 35 years, a champion of children's literacy, and the person who encouraged me to write as a young child. She used to make booklets with plastic comb binding out of my stories so I would feel like a "published author." She was also an avid fiction reader, and I think a site like this would blow her mind not to mention how much I've written for it. Grandma, I miss you.

 **Pro-Bending Circuit Semi-finals: TV Tropes  
** _Position/Team:_ Earthbender, Capital City Catgators  
 _Bonus:_ use of element, earthbending  
 _Word Count:_ 3,470 (minus author's notes)  
 _Prompts Used:_ Defeat Means Friendship  
Luke, I Might Be Your Father  
Death By Materialism  
The Casanova  
Undercover Cop Reveal  
Rescue Romance

 **A/N:** The scene with Momo and Kuro is based on Disney's _Lady and the Tramp_ but at a Japanese restaurant instead of Italian, which I guess is kinda obvious.


	11. Escape From Omashu

Pro-Bending Circuit Semi-finals: TV Tropes  
 _Position/Team:_ Firebender, Capital City Catgators  
 _Prompts Used:_ Opening Monologue  
We Need a Distraction  
Munchausen Syndrome  
 _Word Count:_ 1,476

 **A/N:** This is adapted from the episode, _Return to Omashu_. And for my second attempt at writing in first person, I chose Mai of all people. (It was Kai the first time.) Is "glutton for punishment" a TV Trope by chance? I'll stick with the T rating, but there is some language.

* * *

 _Two young lovers run through the forest, a whirlwind of blue and red, with the soft earth padding their feet below and the canopy of trees filtering their laughter above. They stop to catch their breaths, stealing sideways glances at each other as she braces herself against a tree. He steps in closer and caresses her face._

* * *

Alright. STOP RIGHT THERE. Hold your ostrich horses. I just need to clear something up here. It's not _caresses_ , it's _assesses_. Can't you see the terrible case of pentapox they have? Who's telling this story anyway? This is not Oma and Shu. It does take place in Omashu, but that's beside the point.

And yes, I happen to be the girl in the story. The name's Mai. I don't even know the other guy's name because he's. not. important. Some Water Tribe ruffian who came up with a good escape plan. And it doesn't matter how suspicious the scene may seem, we are NOT about to kiss. We sort of kissed already, if you must know. But not like _that._ It's a long story. I guess I better start at the beginning before we get accused of some tree tryst. Even if it's portrayed as pure poetry, not. happening. EVER.

* * *

My dad is the governor of Omashu. It's a miserable place, and I hate it there. I would leave on my own, but I've only lived in the Fire Nation Capital, and I certainly don't know my way around the Earth Kingdom. When these travelers from the Water Tribe and some kid in orange with strange tattoos show up, I realize my opportunity.

I'm no idiot. While I appear to be bored and listless, I am actually watchful and attentive. I see their plan in action. And I have to admit it's a good one. If my dad thinks that I've caught the pentapox plague, maybe I can get out of this Agni-forsaken place. But I can't find a purple pentapus anywhere—probably because they've taken them all.

I don't believe in all that destiny badgerbull shit. But if I did, I would say it delivers right into my blade-throwing hands. The Water Tribe boy walks past me yelling some nonsense like, "Momo! Momo!" So, I pin him to the wall with my knives.

"Hey! What gives?" he yelps. I admire his eloquence.

"So, how does a Water Tribe peasant end up in a Fire Nation occupied Earth Kingdom city?" I ask. I don't really care. OK, maybe I am _a little_ curious.

"Just passing through, ma'am." I regard his etiquette.

"Well, I'm sorry, but passage is not allowed. So, should I take you to my father for your punishment? Or should I just punish you myself?"

"Punishment? From you?" I ignore his implication.

I'm inches from his face within seconds ready to make my threat, but I stop short, almost gagging. "Why do you smell like… like… shit?"

"Because we came in through the sewer." He gives me the cheekiest grin. It is NOT cute.

"I want out of here. And you will show me how."

"Out of the city? But you're the governor's daughter, aren't you?"

"It doesn't matter who I am. I'm going with you."

"With me? No way! I don't go anywhere with Fire Nation."

The idiot obviously doesn't know I have a dozen more knives up my sleeves. Still, he's oddly endearing. Like a poodle monkey. With polka-dots. I don't really want to kill him.

"I don't have to go with you. Just tell me how to get out of here."

"The sewer is always an option." Same goofy grin.

"NO! WHERE ARE THE DAMN PENTAPUSSES!?" I feel flush all of the sudden, and I realize that I am still quite close to the guy's face.

"Oh, I dunno. I guess all the villagers took them."

I can't stand the smell—or the heat—anymore, so I release him from the wall, drag him to the plaza, and toss him in the fountain.

Some monkey comes and joins him in the water, and they are playing and splashing. This is beyond ridiculous. I just need some red spots on my skin so I can feign a good case of pentapox. Then, it hits me. When I was a kid, I used to suck on my arms to make these red welts. I would pretend I was too sick to go outside and play—it was mainly to avoid Azula. It's worth a shot.

"What are you doing?" the dripping wet peasant asks.

"Getting out of here," I answer.

"You're determined, aren't you?"

I don't answer. Can't he see that I'm busy?

"That's a pretty good idea, you know," he adds. "But what are you going to do about your face?"

This catches me off guard. "My face?"

"Yeah, it's a telltale sign of the disease. The spots on the face. I don't think the rash on just your arms is gonna cut it."

 _Bastard._ "Well, I can't very well suck my own face, now can I?"

"Momo could do it for you?" He points to his monkey friend, but the creature is obviously not a fan of this idea. I'm not letting that thing anywhere near my face.

Of course, there is one _other_ monkey here who could help. Destiny, as it turns out, has a twisted sense of humor.

With raised eyebrows, he voices what we're both thinking. "Or I could do it."

My first thought is, well, it beats the sewer. My second thought, I say out loud. "But why would you help me? I'm Fire Nation, remember?"

He sighs. "Yeah, well, let's just say I have this friend… and he's starting to rub off on me."

Without warning, the Water Tribe boy starts sucking on my cheek. I fight the instinct to push him away. "So, is your friend a purple pentapus… or something?"

"Mmm-mm." His breath is warm, and his body is wet, and this is… _awkward_. I take mental inventory of where all my weapons are hidden.

And that brings us up to the present. His lips _might_ have brushed against mine, but it was purely accidental. And now he has me up against a tree, but he is just _assessing_ my curious case of pentapox, like I said. He seems pretty proud of his work.

I think he might try to kiss me for real this time. And I think I might let him. Destiny has seriously fucked with me today.

"Hey! What's that noise?" he suddenly asks.

We're running through the forest to supposedly catch up to his friends and the other Earth Kingdom riffraff. But I distinctly hear a collective roar of animals and an eruption of cheers. It sounds just like…

"A circus!" He's already ahead of me, rounding the tree and following a dirt path to a clearing.

I'm caught up in thoughts of my childhood friend, Ty Lee, before I realize that Mr. Water Tribe is just waltzing right up to the entrance of the red and gold tent.

"Hey! Don't go in there!" I warn.

"Why not?"

"It's a Fire Nation circus."

"So?"

"They won't take kindly to patrons from… different nations."

"Oh. Right."

He's visibly disappointed, and I can tell he's probably never seen a circus before. Before I have a chance to rethink this, I grab his hand and lead him around to the back of the tent. Ty Lee and I used to sneak in all the time, especially when we were trying to get away from…

Azula.

I gasp when I see her in the crowd—the guest of honor, of course. And above us, on the tightrope, is Ty Lee.

The Water Tribe boy is drooling. Pathetic. I need to shake this loser anyway. And I've just found a better ticket out of here. Sure, we had our issues when we were younger, but together, Azula, Ty Lee, and I were unstoppable. Destiny is a beautiful thing.

Azula sees me as I ascend the stairs near her private viewing box. She waves away her guards and gives me a simple nod as I sit down. It's not much of a greeting, but then again, the Fire Princess has never been very _warm_. I watch Ty Lee's performance for a few minutes before Azula leans over and whispers, "I've got a proposition for you. And Ty Lee. A mission to find someone. You in?"

"Hell yes," I say without hesitation.

"Good. Then we just need a distraction."

Azula sets fire to the nets spanning the circus ring. I fling shurikens into the locks of the animal cages, effectively releasing a stampede. A pink flurry launches through the air and lands at our side.

"Guy-eees," Ty Lee whines. "Couldn't you have waited until after the show?"

I catch a blur of blue making a break for it. Not like I care. Because I don't.

"Mai? Hello? Mai!"

I turn to meet Ty's wide expectant eyes. "What!?"

"What on earth happened to your face?"

* * *

 **A/N:** Thanks to my teammate, BetterYouThanMe, for giving me the idea of the Maikka pairing from her Friends crossover. It's completely random, no? Not sure how in-character they are, but it was fun to write!


	12. Herding Catgators

**Pro-Bending Circuit Finals** : Scavenger Hunt (Part Four)

 _Position/Team:_ Earthbender, Capital City Catgators  
 _Prompts Used:_ cooking/preparing food,  
large animal, stranger's underwear  
 _Bonus:_ element included (metalbending)  
item/purpose not revealed until end  
 _Word Count:_ 2,856

* * *

Zhu Li nearly skyrocketed from her seat when she felt a hand on her shoulder. The production control room at the Republic City Television Studio had been quiet for most of the day. There had been plenty of action displayed across the series of screens, though. After managing Varrick's live broadcast at the zoo, Zhu Li simply sat back, watched, and waited.

"Sir, you startled me!" she said to the shadowy figure that had emerged behind her. She shivered slightly when he didn't remove his hand.

"How's it coming along, Zhu Li? Just look at all this mover madness. Serendipitous screenplay! Bodacious broadcasting!" Varrick said as he made a sweeping motion with his other arm.

"Sir, there's something I should—"

"How was I today, Zhu Li? Stunning? Dazzling? I know, you don't have to say it. I was _made_ for this business— _show_ business."

"Uh, sir… some footage from earlier today. It's a security concern. Just let me pull it up real quick…" She reached for the controls to rewind one of the videos, but Varrick cupped his hand over hers. Her breath hitched at the touch.

"Don't interrupt the live feed. I want to check in on our scavenger hunt teams." His tone softened as he laced their fingers together.

With his other hand, he pointed. "Alright, on screen one we have team Heavy Metal over by the aardvark sloth cage. What in the—why is that kid, Huan, re-sculpting the water fountain? And Suyin is looking right at him and not even doing a thing to stop him!"

"I think he is an aspiring artist, sir. And his mother encourages his, uhh, self-expression," Zhi Li explained as she watched the young metalbender on the screen.

Varrick released his grip on her and raised a resolute finger in the air. "But on public property! Just wait until his Aunt Lin finds out about this! And I have the video to prove it!"

She sighed. "Sir, do these people know that you have hidden cameras all throughout the zoo? Have they agreed to being filmed? It seems a little… underhanded… to me."

"Never you mind, Zhu Li. I'm going to use the footage in my next movie! And when I make these people famous, they'll thank me for it!"

"But they're already famous, aren't they?"

He seemingly ignored her comment. "Now, let's check on team Baby, Light My Fire on screen seven. Yup, just as I suspected. Former Fire Lord Zuko and Master Katara can't keep their hands off each other. Young Iroh looks like he's turning green just watching them, ha! _Innnnteresting_ , so Kya and Bumi joined their team, eh? I thought for sure they'd join their brother's team."

"There's always been a rift between Tenzin and his older siblings. Something about their father giving him special treatment as an airbender."

To Zhu Li's surprise, Varrick started laughing. She didn't think the issue of estranged family members was all that funny, though. She followed his eyes back to screen seven just as he let out a snort.

"Haha! Toph just put earth shackles on the lovefirebirds! I knew she joined their team to keep them _grounded_."

Zhu Li just shook her head and redirected. "Tenzin and his family are on screen three now over by the tigerdillos. Meelo is climbing the cage. Ikki and Jinora are fighting over a small furry animal they're holding… which they probably shouldn't have. That reminds me, sir, earlier I saw—"

"Very good, very good. Where is the last team?"

"Uhh…"

"Team Love Triangle."

"Who?"

"Princess Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee were a rumored threesome when they were younger. My boy, Bolin, has been with _both_ the twins, I'm almost sure of it. And don't even get me started on the other three."

"Sir!" Zhu Li pointed a shaky finger at screen three.

"Fine, if you _must_ know. Korra dated Mako first, I think. Or did Asami date him first? Well, they both dated him at some point, perhaps even at the same time without the other knowing! But now Korra and Asami are engaged. Crazy, I know."

"But _sir_!" She started waving her hands frantically

He mimicked the motion. "Engagement. Pshaw. Who'd want to go do a thing like that? Tie themselves down. Cage themselves in."

"The tigerdillos are out of their cage!" Zhu Li yelled. "Look at screen three! A-a-and screen five… the armadillo lions, too!"

"What!?"

"That's what I was trying to tell you! I saw suspicious activity earlier." She picked up the remote to show him the video where she thought she had seen people dressed in black picking the locks to the animal cages. But Varrick had already run out the door and across the street toward the zoo. Zhu Li let out a noise of frustration and slumped back in her chair to watch the scene unfold before her eyes.

* * *

Varrick didn't rise to his position by sheer luck. He was an entrepreneur, a man of ideas. The zoo was in an utter state of chaos with its inhabitants running around everywhere, but he knew the way to an animal's heart was through its stomach. At least that's how it worked for him, anyway. Zhu Li always made sure he was well-fed and taken care of, and that was one reason why he loved her. Not only would he literally starve without her, he didn't think he could _live_ without her, basic needs notwithstanding.

There was more than just survival at stake in fixing the situation at the zoo, too. He found the caterers he had hired to prepare refreshments for the event. They were busy assembling the hors d'oeuvres platter and panicked when they saw him coming.

"We're sorry, sir, but everything is not quite ready. The scavenger hunt is still going on, right? You haven't… given away the prize, yet?" the head chef asked.

"No, no. Do you have any meat? Raw veggies?" Varrick barked.

"Excuse me, sir?"

"I need something to lure these animals back into their cages." He started frantically searching through cabinets and drawers. When he opened up a large refrigerator, he smiled widely at his discovery. Containers were neatly stacked there, each labeled with the name of a type of animal. It made perfect sense. They were in the zoo kitchens, and it must be where the daily feedings were prepared.

"Ah-ha!" he declared. "Everyone grab a stack and come with me!"

* * *

Zhu Li watched Varrick _do the thing_ as he flitted about from screen to screen, passing out containers of food and enlisting people to help recapture the animals. She sighed and slouched further down in her chair. He was demanding and sometimes outright infuriating. But he was a genius. And also endearing in his own way. She couldn't help it, though. She loved him—despite him being a big idiot when it came to romance.

It wasn't long before that big idiot was standing behind her, panting and wearing a goofy grin.

"Well, am I great or am I great?" he said with a shrug.

"What's that?" Zhu Li pointed to strips of fabric he had draped across his slightly torn suit.

"Oh, this? I dunno. Found it in the bushes. Used it to lasso a few rabaroos. It honestly looks like those wrappings that some women wear…"

"You used a stranger's underwear to—wait!" She grabbed the remote and rewound to a certain point on screen seven. As soon as she did, her face turned an unnatural shade of red. It didn't belong to a stranger. It was definitely someone they knew.

"Eww, eww, old people sex! Turn it off, turn it off!" Varrick shielded his eyes from the sight of Zuko and Katara's romp in the bushes.

Zhu Li switched back to the live feed and let out a fake cough. Then she remembered something else. "Oh, I found Team, uhh, Love Triangle. They headed away from the zoo for some reason. I thought I'd lost them, but—"

She clicked a few buttons and pulled up the video footage of Mai, Desna, Eska, Azula, Ty Lee, Mako, Asami, and Korra traipsing through the lawn of a large mansion.

Varrick tilted his head and quirked a brow. "Well, I'll be damned. How did they end up there?"

"I don't know, sir. They seem to be following some sort of trail? Is all that destruction part of the movie set?"

Varrick's eyes went wide but then he quickly feigned nonchalance. "Oh, yes, my newest film features a monster that interrupts a little girl's birthday party and—is that—are Azula and Ty Lee in the giant bathtub together?" He gulped.

Zhu Li blushed again. She'd seen the footage already. She wasn't sure if she should fast-forward through certain parts or not. There was one segment in particular she knew would make him mad. They had cameras in every room of the mansion since it was staged as an elaborate movie set complete with a booby-trapped ballroom and spooky outdoor labyrinth. The plot possibilities were endless. The only struggle had been finding a good screenplay writer.

"Is that Bernard Wojsynski?" Varrick seethed. "I thought I told that guy to fuck off! He doesn't even know how to write! I don't _care_ that his restaurant venture fell through, and he's out of work! He can't get a job writing movies!"

Zhu Li cringed as she watched the guy scribble furiously on takeout menus. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him. She glanced back at Varrick, expecting to see anger still written on his face, but found it white with fear instead.

"Oh shit! I gotta go!"

She watched him run out the door and then turned to study the screen that had apparently diverted his attention before his hasty retreat. She caught a flash of something red. Movement in another screen drew her eyes to a lone koala sheep wandering around outside of its cage. It had obviously been missed in the roundup.

"Varrick, wait!" Zhu Li called after him, but it was too late. She surveyed the cute little creature. It looked scared, and she felt bad for it. She could easily go rescue the poor thing and be back here in time for the live broadcast of the scavenger hunt award ceremony, she figured.

What she didn't see after abandoning her post was that a flash of red filled that same screen, and the koala sheep seemingly vanished into thin air.

* * *

Asami pushed open the door a few inches and peeked inside. "Hello? Is anyone here?"

Then the whole troop of Team Love Triangle piled in behind her, forcing their way inside the television studio.

"Whoa," Mako said.

"You can say that again," Korra added.

"OK… whoa."

"She didn't mean for you to _really_ say it again." Asami punched her ex-boyfriend on the shoulder.

"Is that _us_?" Ty Lee asked while pointing to the screen that showed the mansion. It was cued to the part where they were floating around in the ballroom.

Azula's eyes narrowed. "Somebody is a fucking spy. Look, they're watching the zoo, too. They probably have eyes on the whole city."

"But Azula, look!" Ty Lee pointed toward number six.

It was their prize.

"Aww, is that a koala sheep?" Korra shrieked as tufts of wool and spurts of blood filled the screen.

"It _was._ " Azula smirked. "C'mon. If everyone else is in the zoo, we should be there, too." She turned to walk out the door.

"But what is Varrick doing?" Mako's question made the former fire princess stop dead in her tracks.

They all looked back at the scene where the man appeared to be talking to the large animal with his hands raised in a placating gesture.

"Do you think it understands him?" Asami asked.

Azula glared at the screen and snorted smoke out her nostrils. "Well, _he_ better understand _me_ when I get a hold of him."

With that, Team Love Triangle headed out the door and across the street to the zoo with a steaming Mad Princess leading the way.

* * *

Azula grabbed Varrick by the throat. "Alright, where IS it?"

"Where is what?" he squeaked.

"You know what I'm talking about! I'm done playing your games. I am born of fire, and that thing is _MINE!_ "

Varrick squirmed out of her grip and took a few steps backward for safe measure. "Oh, you mean Draco? No, Drogon. No, that's not it. Can't remember his name, but he doesn't really like to be _owned,_ so…"

"How do you intend to give such a prize if it can't be obtained, Sir Varrick? I thought you were smarter than that," Azula snarled.

"Prize? Uhh, what gave you that idea?"

"The reward. For the scavenger hunt?"

"Have you even been doing the scavenger hunt, Mad Princess?"

"I've had my eyes on the prize. Why should I hunt when I already know what I want?"

"I'm sorry, but you're mistaken about—"

"Varrick, Varrick!" Zhu Li's voice broke through their heated exchange.

"Zhu Li!" he yelped. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in the studio!"

"Studio! So _you're_ the one who's filming everyone?" Asami stepped forward. "That's a violation of our right to privacy!" She poked a finger at his chest.

"I assure you I meant no harm. It was because…" He looked helplessly at his assistant.

Suddenly a burst of flames lit up the sky followed by a series of piercing screams. They all began scrambling toward the source of the sound. They found Zuko and Iroh II positioned in some sort of standoff with a giant red creature. Katara and Kya stood combat ready with bending water encircling their hands. Others from the scavenger hunt were also emerging on the scene.

"Oh, no you don't, Zuzu! That dragon is MINE!" Azula shot a blast toward her brother which he easily deflected. The dragon drew itself to full height and let out a deafening roar in response to the outburst. Everyone backed up several paces except for Varrick who ran right up to the creature.

"Druk, no! It's OK. They don't know."

The dragon dipped its head and allowed Varrick to give him a reassuring pat. He then addressed the stunned crowd.

"I—this wasn't how things were supposed to go. I'm sorry. The scavenger hunt was supposed to end at the zoo's new amusement park on the south side where Druk would be waiting. He's quite tame, you know."

He turned to face Zhu Li. "Then, when you tuned in to screen four and with the whole world watching, I was gonna do this."

Varrick coaxed the dragon to lower its head once more, and he slipped off a gold ring from one of its horns. He then got down on one knee. "Zhu Li, I know with me, life is just one big crazy scene followed by another hair-brained scheme. I had to come up with a way to ask you that would just… I dunno, make sense coming from me? So, it'll be one wild ride… but will ya… do the thing? Zhu Li, will you marry me?"

The wave of _awwwwwws_ and Zhu Li's somewhat audible _yes_ were drowned out by the royal Fire Nation siblings' protests.

"You are NOT going to reduce MY prized dragon to an amusement park ride! If anyone is going to ride that thing, it's going to be ME!" Azula wailed.

"With all due respect, no ONE should be riding him," Zuko interjected. "I'm not sure where you found a dragon, Sir Varrick, but he should go live at the Sun Warriors' temple where he'll be revered and protected."

"Ha! Neither of you know very much about dragons then, do you!? They're very intelligent creatures. Highly evolved. And apparently easily distractible." Varrick gave the dragon a pointed look. "Besides, I never said anything about riding Druk. He's my friend. He merely agreed to help me with my scavenger hunt proposal. If you need something for air travel, then I suggest you talk to Asami Sato over there."

Azula sent an angry surge of fire toward them which Druk snuffed out with a simple _huff._ Varrick wrapped his arms around Zhu Li and whispered, "We'll let Team Light My Fire work this out on their own. Let's go somewhere _off screen_ , shall we?"

"So we can do the thing?" she asked sweetly. He didn't miss the mischievous glint in her eye, though.

He slipped the ring over her finger. The hunt was over. The prize was won. Yet somehow he felt like his life had just begun.

* * *

 **A/N:** The title is somewhat of a nod to my teammates, although while Varrick had to literally herd catgators in the zoo, thankfully I _didn't_. Everyone on our team has been super responsive, and it has truly been a pleasure writing with QueenTyZula, FanFictionKatie, and BetterYouThanMe for the Fourth Season of the Pro-Bending Circuit. Also, many thanks to alyssialui for organizing the competition and to the judges for their participation as well. I've added a link in my profile to the Circuit forum, so you can find the first three parts of the Catgators' scavenger hunt story along with many other great stories that people have submitted!


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